


Hard Times and Choices

by dondena



Category: Monsters Inc (2001)
Genre: Abuse, Friendship, Gen, Kidnapping, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 21:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 29,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8594710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dondena/pseuds/dondena
Summary: (Sequel to Randall's Adventure.)Randall has been living with his human friends for three years and it's been nice, but now, there's another that wants Randall in his custody. But does it make it easier on Randall to decide whether he wants to stay in the human world, or go back to the monster world?





	1. Chapter 1

It had been over three years since Randall’s adventure in Alaska with his friend, Jesse. They were still living down in the Louisiana bayou. 

Rowan, one of the women from the Haida tribe up in Alaska had moved down to be with Jesse and they had gotten married a little over a year ago. Rowan was now expecting their first child. 

Jesse’s family was happy that he was starting a family of his own. 

Since they got married, Jesse, Rowan, and Randall had since moved away from that area so they wouldn’t have to put up with their cruel neighbors. They still chose to live in the country. As a vet, Jesse wanted to have animals and wanted his child to grow up with animals. Rowan was fine with that too. 

They currently had a dog that lived outside to just be like a guard dog. They had some barn cats, a few horses, and some chickens to give them fresh eggs. 

Even though Randall had been living with the two humans all this time, he sometimes felt like a third wheel. Sometimes he felt like all responsibility for the animals was placed on him. And he didn’t have anyone to hang out with when Jesse and Rowan were out to dinner together, but would bring him home something. 

But Jesse and Rowan would do separate activities with him to let him know that his presence was appreciated. And with a new baby on the way, he could even be a babysitter for him or her. Though that did make him a bit uneasy. 

In all the three years in knowing him, aside from the Haida tribe knowing about Randall, the only other person who knew about him was Jesse’s younger brother, Travis. Their parents never knew about him. But they did know about all the other animals as their pets. 

Every year, Jesse’s family would visit and that’s when Randall felt he had someone else. He and Travis would go and play outside and Randall stayed in his room. Travis felt like he needed a friend. So did Randall. But he never revealed himself to the parents, as they probably wouldn’t understand. 

Then one day, a telegram came in the mail for Jesse. It was from social services. Why would he be getting something like this? 

Jesse opened it up and it wasn’t good news. Both of his parents had been killed in a car crash and Travis had been home with a babysitter that night. Jesse was now going to be the new legal guardian for his little brother. 

He told Rowan and Randall. This was upsetting news, but at the same time, good news. Randall would have someone to hang out with when Travis came to live with them. And he could even be like a big brother for the new baby when it came. 

Jesse had to head to Alaska to get his little brother ready to come down to Louisiana. Randall would stay and help out Rowan with the animals and get things ready for Travis. 

Rowan told Randall that even though he would have him to hang out with, she just said to take precautions that Travis might be upset too, as a lot of young kids would be upset when they have to leave everything they know behind and move somewhere else and after the death of their parents. 

“I know what losing a parent is like. I lost my mother and only had my sister, Amanda, and her son, Rex left of my family in the monster world.” Randall said to her. “I don’t know if they would ever let me see them again if I went back. Amanda didn’t want me to see them anymore before I left there for good.” 

“Because of how you were before? You aren’t like that anymore, Randall. You’ve changed. You have been a big help to us and a great friend since you’ve been living with us. You can be like an uncle to our little one coming too.” Rowan said. 

“Thanks.” 

“Also remember that even though you and Travis are friends, when you are babysitting him, you can’t be afraid to say no to him when something might be wrong. But he should know more now since he is nine now.” Rowan said. 

That would be true. But even nine year old boys could get into trouble.  
……………..

Jesse and Travis came home a few days later with a lot of luggage. Travis gave both Rowan and Randall hugs, but didn’t seem like the most happy camper. It was obvious he was grieving for his parents. He wished it hadn’t happened. He had left behind everything he had ever known, despite having visited his brother down here before, but now, he wouldn’t be going back to Alaska. 

Randall helped carry the luggage to the room where he would be staying in. Jesse had said they might be getting a bunk bed for him and Travis, as they were going to turn the other room into a nursery for the new baby. Rowan was only three months along, so it was still too early to know if it was boy or girl. 

All of Travis’ stuff was placed on the floor. The boy went and sat on the bed to test it out. Randall finished putting some bags down and just watched him. He was still in shock of this happening too. Then he noticed Travis started to cry. Randall went over to him. 

The lizard monster sat down beside him and Travis leaned into him, hugging him. He could feel the tears on his skin. He put his hands around his young friend. 

“I know what you’re going through. I lost my mother too, a long time ago.” Randall said. 

“It’s just not fair! I want them back! I want my life back!” Travis sobbed. 

Randall knew there wasn’t much he could do but just give the boy a shoulder to cry on, to just get that pain out. When he was younger, he too could be very emotional. Right now, he was just trying to be a good friend. Things would get better in the long run, hopefully.


	2. Chapter 2

With the arrival of Travis, the new room would need a new bed, a bunk bed as he and Randall would share as if they were brothers. And Jesse was going to need to find a good school for Travis and get him signed up. It was July right now, so his brother would have a few weeks to get used to the new place before starting school. 

Randall said he would also be open to helping Travis with homework when it came time for it. He used to help Mike when he was in college. But human schooling couldn’t be too different for the younger kids than it was for monster kids, he figured. He would try. 

There was just so much that had to be done to help make Travis adjust to the Louisiana humidity and warmth. 

Later, Randall took Travis outside to have him help with the evening feedings for the animals. Randall tried to do his best to keep his friend happy. 

Travis felt like this was another visit at the moment, but he knew this was permanent. He knew his older brother was going to be a dad soon, but he just hoped they could still interact as brothers and not like a father and son. Their dad was not alive anymore. 

Randall let the boy feed some of the animals and after it was done, he managed to coerce Travis into a game of hide and seek. He promised he wouldn’t go invisible on him, just go for the hideouts. He was just trying to keep Travis occupied and keep his mind off the sad event. 

Randall hid in the barn, behind trees, and up in the trees. Travis hid in nearly similar places too. They both had fun. 

That night, Jesse spoke to Randall after Travis had been put to bed. 

“Randall, I think I have great news for you.” Jesse said. 

“What’s that?” 

“You get tired of wearing glasses and squinting right?” 

“Yes. Why?” 

“I think I can help you out with that problem. It’s amazing you did as well as you did up in Alaska with Rowan’s people and helping us out in finding the caribou.” 

“I have my other senses.” 

“Well, wouldn’t you like it if you never had to worry about it again?” 

“Yes.” 

“This weekend, the clinic is going to be closed due to a conference, though I am the vet on call. I can get you into my clinic, examine your eyes, and go from there.” Jesse said. 

“I hate eye exams.” 

“We all hate them, but at times, they need to be done. If you want corrected vision, this is the best chance for it.” 

“Alright.”   
……………

That weekend, when everyone else was away, Jesse snuck Randall into the vet clinic for an eye exam. 

Randall hated it as eye drops were applied, making his eyes dilate. It stung, but he let his friend do what needed to be done. 

After Jesse was done, Randall asked, “Do you think you can fix my vision?” 

“You seem mostly nearsighted, but you have some damage to the optic nerve back there. At least the retina is fine in both of them. Your eyes seem nearly similar to a human’s. Even with a little laser surgery to correct some of the damage done to the vision can help.” 

“So, are you going to do it now?” 

“This is the best time we have to do this. I have done surgery to correct vision in animal’s eyes before. Eye shape is not that much different. Most eyeballs seem similar anyway.” 

Randall swallowed. He was beginning to get nervous. He followed his friend to the surgical room. 

“Get up on the table and lay down.” Jesse said. 

“Preferred position?” 

“Lay on your stomach.” 

“Is this going to hurt?” 

“It would if I don’t knock you out for it. And that’s what I need to do, Randall.” 

Jesse had a blanket already on the table. Randall got up on it and Jesse put another blanket over him. Then he prepared an IV and got it in one of Randall’s arms. He then injected the anesthesia into it. 

“When you wake up, you should see much better, my friend.” Jesse said. 

Randall felt he was getting sleepy. He was still nervous going under. But soon, he knew nothing else. 

Jesse checked that his friend’s breathing was stable. He pulled his tongue out just so it wouldn’t block his airway. Then he began. He put a tube in his trachea down to his lungs anyway. 

Jesse worked carefully with the laser and around Randall’s eyes. He fixed what he could. It was intense surgery. It took about over an hour. 

When he was done, Jesse was pleased with his work. Randall’s vision problems should be over now, but with some damage to the optic nerve, he would have to take some eye drops at times. 

He lifted the lizard onto the floor in another room and made sure to keep the blanket on him. He took the tube out of his throat and let him wake up. He had the door closed in case a customer came in. 

While Jesse was waiting around and just watching TV while just being on call, a dog owner came in with his dog with a horrific injury after being hit by a car. 

Jesse and the owner took the dog back to the surgical room to take x-rays and repair a broken leg. The dog was a black Labrador male. On the way, the dog smelled the room where Randall was and did some whining and pawing on the door, wanting to get at the smell in there. 

“Come on now, boy. There’s nothing in there for you.” Jesse said. 

The dog wanted what was in the room. 

Jesse had the owner help him with his dog. Jesse gave the dog some sedation so he could work on him in peace. After the x-rays were done, the dog was taken to an exam room. While Jesse went to get the pictures, the owner left the room and went to see what was in that room. 

He opened the door and he saw something unusual on the floor. A purple head stuck out from under a blanket. Whatever it was, was sleeping. He got closer and it looked like a lizard. 

“Hmm? Fascinating.” The man said. But he got out of there when he heard Jesse coming back. 

When the two humans looked at the x-ray, the left front leg’s radius was fractured. That could be fixed easily. 

Jesse put the bones back in alignment and put the leg in a cast. The dog would have to be on restriction for up to six to eight weeks. 

This man was a hunter and his dog was used to get him game birds during the hunting seasons. So it was important his dog be in good shape for the season. 

He took his dog back out to his truck. Now he had his mind on that lizard. Maybe Jesse or the owner of it would sell it? For now, he took his dog home.   
…………….

Randall soon came around and when he looked around the room, once his vision focused, something seemed so different. 

He was looking around the room and he could see perfectly! His eyes were wide open too. He smiled. No more glasses ever again! 

Jesse came in to see him. “I see you are coming around.” 

“I can see again.” 

“I knew you would. So, is that much better?” 

“Yes! Thank you.” 

“I was happy to do it. But you may have to take eye drops from time to time if they start to bother you. There was some damage to the optic nerve at the back of your eyes.”

“Probably from all the damage my head has gone through over the years. I’ve been hit in the head a lot.” 

“Just be careful.” 

Randall was with Jesse overnight in the hospital. The next morning, when the other staff came back, Jesse was free to go home. Randall was invisible to others and they both went out to the truck. 

Randall laid in the back seat of the truck. He was so happy for to have had his vision fixed. He had struggled with vision problems since he was a kid. And being hit on the head so much never helped him either. 

When they got home, Travis was glad to see him again. He had missed him overnight. 

Jesse went to bed. Randall was ready for bed too. He still had drugs in his system and he was still a little groggy. 

Rowan made them both some breakfast before they both went to bed for the day. She was happy that her husband was able to correct Randall’s vision. It was a great gift of their friendship.


	3. Chapter 3

A few days later, the same man who had the dog with the broken leg came by the clinic to talk to Jesse. 

“Dr. Shrubner, I would like to have a word with you.” He said. 

“Yes?” 

“I had to peek into that room the other night that my dog went crazy over. I saw a lizard in there. I wondered is it yours? And is it for sale?” 

Jesse couldn’t believe this. This man wanted to buy Randall off of him.

“Yes, he lives with me, and no, he’s not for sale.” 

“But I’ll pay you well for him.” 

“I’m sorry, Bill. I said he’s NOT for sale. How’s your dog?” 

“He’s fine.” 

“Alright. If that’s all, I have to get back to work now.” Jesse said and walked away. 

This left the man, Bill, flabbergasted. To him, everything was for sale. 

Bill thought the lizard he had seen was interesting. It could be good to get him or he could make a beautiful skin. But he was too exotic to want to kill yet. He would get that lizard no matter what it took. 

He went home and looked up Jesse’s address. The lizard must have been there by now. 

Bill went by Jesse’s place after he found the address. He saw the animals that lived there, but he didn’t see the lizard. It must be in the barn. But soon, he did see something purple and it was following a little boy in the yard. It was that lizard! 

Bill looked at the lizard with fascination. “Hmm. So, it’s loyal to a little boy. I’m going to have to think hard on how to get that lizard.” 

He drove away. 

The truck driving away caught Randall’s attention. It got Travis’s attention too. But they went on doing their business.   
……………

Bill talked to some of his friends about a prize lizard that he had seen and it was like no other lizard he had ever seen before. No lizard was as loyal to a human like a dog was. 

For weeks after that, Bill and his friends would park their trucks in hiding near Jesse’s and they would watch with binoculars what the lizard was doing. The guys were just as fascinated with the unusual lizard too. 

When the first day of school came around, the bus came by and picked Travis up. Randall saw him off invisibly. 

Jesse was at work and Rowan was still sleeping in. Being pregnant now at four months, she needed more rest. Randall had made Travis’s lunch. 

Then Randall went out to do the chores around the farm. 

The men could see the lizard from this distance that he was unusual. He could walk upright and he carried buckets. He was actually acting like a human. 

“Oh, we’ve got to get him.” Bill said. 

A plan was set to catch him.   
…………….

The family was thrilled with the first sonogram of Rowan and Jesse’s baby. In a few weeks, they would find out the gender. 

By now, Randall and Travis were sharing bunk beds in the same room. Randall had the top bunk. It was easier for Travis to have the bottom since he had to get up in a hurry sometimes, like to get ready for school. 

Randall had an alarm clock set on his bed so he could be up in the mornings to see Travis off to school. He felt like both a big brother and like a father himself to look more after Jesse’s brother when Jesse himself was so busy. 

It had been three days later and Randall had seen Travis to the bus. Then he revealed himself to do the morning chores. He went to the barn to get feed for the animals. 

That morning, the family’s dog had been darted and was put in hiding. He would be out for awhile. Bill and his friends were stopping at nothing to get that lizard since they had been watching him for some time now. 

From the hayloft, the men could hear footsteps and they were just waiting for the right moment. 

Randall opened the door to the grain room and he was about to get food for the dog and cats first. 

He had the bowl of dog food in his hands and he set it down in the dog’s usual food place. He didn’t see the dog anywhere. Randall shrugged. He figured the dog would eat when he was ready. Then he went back to get the cats some food. 

The men had wanted to wait till he didn’t have anything in his hands. 

“One, two, three!” Bill said in a low voice. 

Bill and two of his friends threw a net down from the hayloft. It hit their target right on. 

Randall was taken totally by surprise when a net suddenly came down on him, making him fall over, then a net from below came up and it was pulled up into the air. He hadn’t even known it was there. 

Randall struggled in it, snarling and growling. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” 

Randall froze and he looked at the man now approaching him. 

“You are going to be one hell of a prize, Lizard. You are like no other lizard I have ever seen. And Dr. Shrubner said he wouldn’t sell you to me, so I’ll take you one way or the other.” Bill said. 

Randall knew that talking to him was a bad idea. He growled and snarled at this stranger. He struggled some more. 

“He’s a feisty one, Bill. Sure you want him?” The blonde one said. 

“Yes. He’s one hell of a prize.” 

“What are you going to do with him?” The brown haired one asked. 

Bill had black hair, and was around 5’6. He had brown eyes. 

“Try to get him to be loyal to me, or if not, he could always make a nice skin.” 

Randall didn’t like the sound of that. He struggled some more. He knew most humans were dangerous. 

“Bring him down. Get him to the truck while I cover the mess up.” Bill ordered. 

The nets were lowered and they pulled him along in it. He wouldn’t stop struggling. 

“He really is feisty.” The blonde one said. 

“This should take the fight out of him.” Bill said. By now, the men had Randall across the street and taking him to a hidden spot, to where this truck was. 

Bill came forward and he kicked Randall right in the spine at the base of his upper shoulders. 

Randall instantly stopped moving. He grunted at the blow. 

“Now get him in there.” Bill ordered again. He then made sure there was no evidence of a struggle, and caught up. 

Once at the spot, Randall could see it was a big transport truck. The men got him inside, closed the doors, and began holding him down and peeled his head and neck out of the net first. 

Randall growled and tried to get away. 

The men put a shackle on his neck and hooked two chains to it, one on both sides. Then they worked on tying one pair of limbs up at time. To them, his front legs were his hands. His hands were tied behind him. They wanted to make sure he wouldn’t be able to get at the ropes with his teeth. 

By the time they were done with him, Randall’s hands and legs were all tied up and he laid on his right side glaring up at them. He growled at them. 

“Now let’s go.” 

The truck was started and they took off. All the men riding up front. 

Randall tried to get loose. He had to save his skin. He didn’t want to die. He struggled until he was left breathless. His heart was nearly pounding out of his chest. He was breathing heavily. 

Soon, the truck pulled up and it turned off. Randall feared the worst. He could hear footsteps. 

The doors opened and two men came in and got him. The chains were undone on the walls of the truck and Randall was lifted up and carried to the edge. Then there was a “Drop him!” 

The men dropped the lizard to the ground. 

“OH!” Randall grunted as he hit the ground and the wind knocked out of him. He landed on his back, the ground making contact with his spine. 

“Untie his limbs.” 

His hands and legs were untied. 

“Now get him to follow us.” Bill ordered. “And wrap a chain around his neck too for good measure.” 

Randall heard him, but couldn’t move at the moment, still heavily winded, but then, a chain was wrapped around his neck, instantly making him panic. 

“Come on, Lizard. Move!” The brown haired one said. 

The two men began pulling on the shackle and chain. It made him get to his feet on all eights. His upper hands though were on the chains at his neck. He resisted. He dug his feet into the ground. 

“Come on!” 

Randall could be his own sort of strong, but these two grown men were pulling hard on the chains. He knew if he tried turning around and pulling forward, the chains would choke him. He kept trying to back up with the chains under his chin. 

He kept on resisting up until Bill went behind him with a sharp whip and he gave him a sharp snap on the back with it. 

Randall instantly jumped forward and tried to get away some more. 

“If you can obey a little kid, Lizard, you will obey me.” Bill said. 

He only obeyed Travis because they were friends, not having been forced into it. 

Bill whipped at him some more, most hitting the ground, but it made Randall move to where the men wanted him to. 

He was taken to a big set of trees and his chains were then tied around two big trees, securing them with locks. 

“Good work, guys.” Bill said. 

“Now what?” 

“He’s not going anywhere. Let him settle down.” Bill said and his friends left. 

Randall glared and growled at the man. What did this man want with him? His hands were still on the chains. He forced himself to swallow. The shackle was a little tight and the extra part of chain on his neck felt like it was choking him. 

After all the humans left him alone, Randall tried to get loose desperately. He put his head down and managed to get the extra chain length off his neck. He rubbed it gently. Then he went about trying to reach one of the trees, but he couldn’t reach it, or the other. 

So they had deliberately tied him to the trees for some reason. If he could get the key, he could get loose. But other than worried about being killed and skinned, what else did this human have in store for him? He gulped to think about it. 

From inside a house, the men had watched him. 

“He is obviously super smart.” 

“Yeah, he is.” Bill said. “I can see why Dr. Shrubner wouldn’t sell him to me. He wanted to be the person who had a smart pet lizard and wanted no one else to have it. Now he’s mine.” 

“You really don’t plan on skinning him, do you? We’ve never seen anything like him before. Look at him. His colors are amazing.” The brown one said. 

“Yeah, they are. I’ll make that as only a last result, but first, I’m going to break that lizard and get him to obey me.” Bill said. He looked at the struggling lizard on the chains. 

Randall was pulling back hard, trying to get loose. He tried many directions without choking himself, but the shackle on his neck and chains held strong. When he realized he wasn’t getting loose, he finally calmed down and sat down and upright. 

He could feel the shackle had been starting to dig into his skin on the back of his neck from pulling so much. He looked around and saw that they were out in the middle of nowhere and he didn’t know where he was. 

How had these men even knew he was there at Jesse’s to do this? Why was this happening to him? He gulped, thinking of the worst that could happen to him. 

He hoped he could be found or at the most if he got away. He would worry about what would happen after.


	4. Chapter 4

Rowan soon got up and fixed herself some breakfast, but didn’t see Randall at all. She wasn’t worried right now. Sometimes he liked being outside a lot more. 

Later in the afternoon, Travis got home off the bus. He had some homework to do and was looking forward to doing it with Randall. He went inside to get him. 

He went to his room and didn’t see his friend anywhere. He went back out to the kitchen. “Rowan, have you seen Randall?” 

“No. Not since last night. Have you checked the barn?” 

“No. I will though.” Travis said. 

Travis went and checked the barn, and his dog greeted him, seeming to be wobbly from having woke up earlier from being drugged. The ponies seemed stressed, pawing at the ground. 

“Randall, are you in here?” Travis called. 

No answer. 

The cats all started swarming his legs and meowing, evident of being hungry. Usually they never did that. 

“You all act like you’re starving. Didn’t you get fed this morning? Randall should have fed you all.” 

But with the way the animals were acting, Travis went to the food room and fed all the animals and it was instantly apparent they were hungry as they all swarmed over the food given or attacked one another for the food. 

“Hey now, we’ll have none of that!” Travis scolded. 

The animals calmed down once they began eating. Then Travis began looking in all the favorite hiding spots for Randall. He kept on calling for him, but getting no answer. 

When he didn’t find him at all, he went in and told Rowan. 

“I’m sure he’s around somewhere. If he’s not back by the time Jesse gets home, then we’ll start worrying. I’m going to start dinner soon. For now, go start your homework.” 

“I wanted to do it with him.” 

“Until he gets back, you’ll just have to do it without him.” Rowan said. “But I’ll see if I can help if you need it.” 

Travis hated starting his homework without his friend. Randall always made homework fun for him. 

When Jesse came home from work that evening, he was told that Randall hadn’t been seen all day. He went to go check where he knew the lizard hung out in many places, but he never found any trace of him. 

“I wanted him to help me with my homework.” Travis said. 

“I know you do, but you need to do that yourself, not having him do it for you.” Jesse said. 

“I do it myself. He just gives me examples and ways how to make it fun so it’s not something boring.” Travis said. 

“That’s good. Come on, let’s go looking for him. We won’t be long, Rowan.” Jesse said and he and his brother went looking. 

They came back in later and again, there was no trace of him. 

The humans sat down to dinner, though there was no enthusiasm. Travis barely ate at all. 

Jesse was sure Randall would return before nightfall. But he knew how much Randall meant to his brother. He meant a lot to him too. 

Later, after dark, there was still no sign of the monster. There really wasn’t much they could do right now. They could just hope he made it back, from wherever he was, but they would keep looking in the daylight.  
…………….

At Bill’s place, Randall was sitting there in the dark. Nighttime was a scary time to be out here on the ground. He listened to the bugs and other night dwellers. He wanted to be home with the human family he had lived with for awhile now. Not here. 

Randall saw the light on in the house. The men were surely eating dinner right now. The thought of food made his mouth water. His belly gave off a growl. He felt hungry and thirsty. His mouth was so dry. 

He had tried looking for water, but there was none close by. He would only be able to wait until the humans gave him what he needed. But they never did. 

But soon, the light did turn off in the house and the men did leave in their trucks. Randall didn’t know if one of them stayed behind or not. 

After they were gone and the light went out, he began to try to get loose again. Or at the least, make it to one of the trees to climb, but the chains held him in between the trees. But as much as he struggled, he didn’t do it for long, as his neck stung from the shackle digging into his skin. 

Randall laid down and tried to relax, but being out here scared him. He was used to living in a house. Anything could attack him out here. 

The sounds of the night kept him awake all night. He made it through the night, but was still tired. 

Bill came back closer to mid-day to check on him. 

“I see you made it through the night.” He said. 

Randall just bared his teeth and growled at him. 

“That attitude will get you nowhere with me, Lizard. I assume you want food and water, right?” 

Randall gave his mouth a small lick from his tongue, but he said nothing. 

“I’ll see about getting you something.” Bill said. 

The man knew trying to win this lizard over could begin with something as nice as this. He left to go get him something. He knew his new pet did need water the most in this hot humid environment. But he was also trying to break down the lizard’s barriers too. 

Randall waited for his breakfast. Most of all something to drink. 

Bill soon returned with a bucketful of water. He was just barely by Randall. He put the bucket down and he had a dog’s dish in his other hand. Randall watched him warily. 

Bill reached into the bucket of water with the dog dish, bringing out a dish of water. 

Randall didn’t care what he drank out of right now. He was so thirsty. He saw the man come toward him with the dog dish. The next thing he knew, there was laughing and he got splashed in the face with the water. 

Randall shook his head, giving the man in front of him a vicious glare. 

“There’s your water, right there!” Bill laughed. He walked away laughing. He left the bucket right where it was. 

Randall shivered. It was cooler in the mornings and having that cold water just thrown on him made it worse. He growled as he watched the human’s back. The dog dish had been put back in the bucket. 

Despite the slight chill, Randall needed that water. He tried to go up to the bucket anyway, but then, the shackle stopped him. He couldn’t reach it. But it seemed so close. 

He tried reaching with everything he had, but still couldn’t reach it. There was one last option. 

Randall turned around and tried reaching it with his tail. He managed to snag the handle. He got it further into his tail and he began to carefully pull it toward him. He made sure not to spill it. 

He got to him and he instantly went for the dog dish again and filled it with water. He knew it was cold, but he was too thirsty. He greedily drank that dish of water and a couple more. 

The water he had felt hit his belly because it was empty. But now, he had a belly full of water. Better than nothing. But Randall kept a good portion of water in the bucket, as he would need it throughout the day. 

But Bill never came back with any food. He saw him leave again soon after. Great. 

Jesse would have never treated him like that. At that thought, he wondered if they knew he was missing yet?  
……………

Over at Jesse’s, they knew something was up now, as Randall didn’t come back that night or the next morning. 

“Something must have happened to him. He always comes back.” Jesse said. 

Travis was still forced to go to school while the adults would try to look for him. 

Even using their own dog as a tracker, all he went to was a spot in the barn and began digging at. He went no further. 

“That’s odd.” Rowan said. 

“Yeah. Something must have happened there.” Jesse said. 

He tried looking around the spot for evidence of some trace of Randall, but he found nothing. He tried again and the dog led them to where the truck had been. There were tire tracks and some shoe marks. It was obvious that there had been other humans around, and they might have gotten a hold of Randall.

It was hard to say what happened. Maybe Randall had chosen to leave them? With the new baby coming, they knew that Randall had felt like an oddball out at times. But it was more possible that Randall had been stolen from them. 

When Travis got home, Jesse and Rowan had to give him the bad news. 

“He wouldn’t leave us.” Travis began crying. 

“Wait a minute. The other day, a man named Bill came by the clinic and had known about Randall when I took him into the clinic to get his vision corrected. He had brought his dog in later that night when it was hit by a car. He said he had seen him in the recovery room I was using. He wanted to buy Randall. I told him no. He might have something to do with his disappearance.” Jesse explained. 

He went to look up Bill’s address in the phone book, but found nothing. People who used cell phones didn’t have their addresses in the phone book. 

“I’ll look up his file tomorrow at work.” Jesse said. “He has a file with us in order for us to treat his dog.” 

Travis didn’t want to go without Randall another night, but there was nothing they could do tonight. He felt his brother could be going down there now. He would have if he could.  
…………..

Randall was so bored being on the chains. He couldn’t move much. He had made it through another night out there. He had managed to get a little sleep last night only because he was so tired, but he was still wary of the creatures of the night. 

When Bill came by that morning, he saw the bucket was near the lizard. He had left it away from him. 

“Come on now, Lizard, I need that bucket.” He said. 

Randall growled at him. It gave Bill the warning he was looking for. The man backed off. Randall smiled. 

Bill walked off, but he returned shortly after with a shovel. 

Randall saw the shovel and his eyes widened. His smile dropped. He instantly backed away from the bucket. He got clear to the other end of his chains. 

Bill saw the lizard was afraid of him if he had something in his hands. He might have to do this all the time. He got the bucket back. 

Randall was glad that the man hadn’t proceeded to try to hit him with the shovel. He still remembered the first time it happened. 

Bill returned the bucket with fresh water again. This time, he didn’t tease the poor lizard. He just left it there. Then he left again. 

Randall was grateful for the water, but he could use some food too. He gave his growling belly a rub. Was this guy going to starve him? He hoped not.


	5. Chapter 5

Jesse went to work the next day and looked up Bill’s address. He found it. He would check it out after work. 

When the shift ended finally, he went to the address. He found Bill home. He was nervous, but he went and knocked on the door. 

Bill answered. “Hello, Dr. Shrubner. I wasn’t expecting you.” 

“Hello, Bill. I came here because from the other day you asked me about my lizard. He has gone missing and you haven’t happened to see him, have you?” 

“No, I haven’t. Maybe he finally ran off since he wasn’t caged.” Bill said. 

“Could I look around?” 

“I said he’s not here! I appreciate you taking care of my dog’s leg, but I’m telling you the lizard is not here!” Bill yelled angrily. 

“Alright. I’m leaving. Just calm down.” Jesse said. 

Jesse went back to his car and left. Bill had made sure he left. 

When Jesse got home, he said that the man didn’t have Randall. But then, how would he know for sure unless he looked around? 

“It might be wrong to go snooping around his place, Jesse. We are about to become parents. I don’t want him harming you if he caught you. If Randall can get free, he will. He’s a resourceful monster. Always has been.” Rowan said. 

“I know Travis really wants him back. I hate to see him so upset. It’s bad enough for him losing our parents.” 

“I understand that. But I don’t want to raise this child alone either. I’m sure he’ll come back. Or if he chose to go back to the monster world.” 

“I doubt that.” 

Jesse was going to be determined to try to find Randall again, even if it meant breaking the law a bit.   
………………

Bill went out to the place where Randall was tied up once again to check on his lizard. 

Randall was trying hard to lie in the shade when it was so hot out in the daytime. He had soaked up what rays he needed and was now trying to stay cool, but it was hard when he couldn’t even get under the trees. 

He suddenly heard footsteps and looked up. That man was approaching this time. He didn’t see anything in his hands so he remained calm for the moment. 

Bill reached the edge of the turf and he stood watching the lizard. “The guy I took you from came by my main house to see if you were there today. I’m glad I have you here, where he won’t find you, if he should think about sneaking around my other place.” 

Randall heard that Jesse was looking for him. He did care, despite he was always working. 

“Are you ready to obey me, Lizard?” 

At that, Randall gave another growl and snarl. 

“I think I can make you more cooperative than that.” Bill said. 

Bill went and called his friends to come out and help him. He was going to break this lizard. 

The friends were soon out there and unlocked Randall’s chains from the trees, but still kept them attached. 

“Get more chain onto his neck again.” Bill said. 

More chain was wrapped around Randall’s neck, making him gag and tug at the chain with his hands. His neck was already plenty sore from pulling on it so much. 

The friends held the chains, keeping Randall still where he was, but he wasn’t about to back up now. The chains had been shortened up. 

Randall growled and snarled at them all, but then, he saw Bill step in front of him, with a whip and the shovel. He quieted down. 

“Let’s see how far we can take this.” He said with a grin.

Randall didn’t like where this was going. He gulped. 

“Hold him good now, boys.” Bill ordered. 

Bill put the shovel down first and then he approached him with the whip. “Let’s see how fast you can really move, Lizard.” 

‘If I weren’t chained up, I’d show you how fast I can move, you maniac!’ Randall thought to himself. 

Bill raised the whip and began beating the ground first, but as he got closer to his lizard, Randall began pulling and trying to back up. His friends held him in place. 

Eventually, the whip hit Randall in the left side, and on his back quite few times. Randall couldn’t help but cry out at the pain. He looked at those spots and some wounds had been inflicted. 

Bill continued to whip him until many more wounds were inflicted on him. 

Other than talking, Randall didn’t know what else to do to make the man stop whipping him. He kept on pulling and tugging at the shackle and it was making his neck bleed. 

“I think he’s had enough, Bill.” The blonde one said. 

“Yeah, maybe from the whip.” Bill said and walked over a little ways and put it down. Then he picked up the shovel. 

Randall saw the shovel and instantly recoiled. He kept on trying to back up, but the men still held him still. 

Bill had the shovel aimed high in the air and he saw the lizard trying to get away from him all too easily. 

Randall struggled until he was lying flat on the ground, trying to protect his head. His fronds were flat against his head too. 

The men could all see the scared look the lizard was giving them. This was evidently his most submissive gesture. 

Bill lowered the shovel. He had wanted to get the lizard to fully submit, and he had obviously got him to submit just now. 

“Good boy. Just what I wanted to see.” Bill said. “Tie his chains back up.” 

The chains were hooked back in place on the trees. 

“Now what?” The brown haired one asked. 

“He’ll get fed tomorrow.” Bill said in a low voice. “Go on home now.” 

The other two men left. Bill picked up the whip again and approached the still scared lizard monster. 

“You will fear me, as well as obey me.” Bill said, then he gave Randall a good kick in his wounded side. 

Randall yelped. His hand held the spot. 

Then Bill grabbed that arm, making Randall jump in response. 

“Let’s see how good you do with one less arm.” 

Randall’s eyes widened and snapped closed when the man yanked so hard and so fast that there was a painful snap crack in his arm. 

Randall cried out in pain. Then he got a kick to the stomach. 

Bill then backed off and left. 

Tears were running from Randall’s eyes. He was in so much pain. He felt the pain from his stinging wounds, the kick to his belly, the wounds on his neck, but most of all, his now newly broken arm. It was his lower left arm. 

He now saw upright, cradling the injured limb. He really needed Jesse’s help right now. He also took the time to look over the other wounds. 

Randall had multiple whip wounds on his lower back and on his tail. Some even on his legs. They were mostly flesh wounds, but some were bleeding too. He also felt his neck, and the flesh was very painful to the touch there too. He pulled his hands away and there was blood on them. No wonder his neck felt even more sore. 

He then set about getting that extra chain off of his neck too. He was tired of being choked with it. 

Randall wanted to be loose so bad and give that guy a taste of his own medicine. 

Flies began to bother the wounds. There wasn’t much Randall could do about it. His arm looked mangled now. He still kept it cradled in front of him. 

Randall had been at least glad that the man hadn’t hit the shovel down on his head or one of his legs. He would still be able to run fast. 

Why did this human have to torture him? He had done nothing to him. 

He tried to clean his wounds with some of the water to get them to stop bleeding. They stung, but he managed. 

He tried to sleep off the pain after that, but it wasn’t easy with bugs trying to get at the open wounds.   
…………….

The next day, Randall was wary as Bill came to see him again, but this time, he had something with him: a plate of food! 

“Here ya go, Lizard. I know this is also what you’ve been waiting for. Eat up.” Bill said and he put the plate close to Randall. 

Randall backed away from the man. Sure, he was hungry, but food was the farthest thing on his mind right now. 

Bill picked up the water bucket and went and got more water for Randall. 

While he was gone, Randall evaluated the food. It looked like pieces of chicken. It was a big plateful of it. He did want to eat it, but was concerned if there was any poison in it. 

Bill came back with more water and set the bucket down. He saw the lizard hadn’t touched it yet. 

“I figured that after three days of adjusting to your new environment, you would finally be hungry enough to eat something. Fine. I’ll leave it here for you. I promise, there is nothing in it. It’s just normal chicken.” Bill said. 

He then looked over his handiwork from yesterday. He had made some good amount of wounds on the lizard. He left shortly after. 

Randall licked his lips. Despite his pain, he wanted to eat. He drank some water first. After that, he tasted the air with his tongue and he could smell it like that. 

After a good strong growl from his stomach, and with no humans around, he ate the chicken. He ate it slowly to make sure nothing happened, and nothing did, other than his belly finally getting a good meal. 

He laid down and tried to sleep. The flies were at his wounds again. Randall knew they needed to be bandaged. His arm needed to be treated the most. 

Over the days he was there, Randall slept during the daytime because he didn’t trust that some night animal would come across him and not try to get at him. He would be up in a tree if he wasn’t tied up. The chains and shackle only gave him so little room to move.   
……………..

Travis was still sad that Randall wasn’t home yet. Rowan and Jesse tried their best to help him with his homework and tucking him in at night, but what Randall accomplished was just not them. 

The boy tried to take comfort in some of the animals that were also on the property. His dog was mindful to him. He seemed to know the boy was sad about something. But the dog was an outside dog, so he didn‘t have the biggest bond with him. 

They could only hope that Randall would be alright wherever he was at and come home to them.


	6. Chapter 6

For the next several days, Randall was fed every day. None of the food was ever drugged. 

But then, Bill and his friends came over and tortured him again. More whippings. Bill was just making sure Randall was still submissive to him if he scared him witless. 

Randall had had people be mean to him all his life, but this man was going way over the top to keep him scared of him. 

One day, he had just fed him and he had eaten the food while he had been in the house. Then, Bill came out and whipped him again and kicked him in the stomach when he had him backed at the clear end of his chains. 

Randall had cried out, but the blow made him bring the food right back up again. He was left panting. 

His arm was often still a target too. He tried hard to keep his broken arm protected. His arm was more than likely going to be disabled in a way because the break hadn’t been mended right away. 

When Bill left that time, Randall tried to reach some vines that were attached to the trees. Or a tree branch. He should have done this a long time ago. 

He managed to get a hold of a low hanging branch and he bit through the branch to get it loose. He painfully wrapped his arm up with that and some vines he got too. But he didn’t know if he could set the bones. A professional would have to do it. 

Bill fasted his lizard for another few days so he would feel like eating again. This time, he was going to do something different. 

When he went back to the hideout, Randall respectively kept his distance while Bill gave him his new bucket of water and a new plate of chicken. 

Randall really didn’t want to eat the food, but intense hunger did build up after a few days. 

This time around, Bill noticed that the lizard had tree branches and vines on the injured arm as a splint. He was indeed smarter than what he thought he was. But he wasn’t smart enough to get loose. 

Randall would only eat after the man would leave period. His stomach was grateful for the food once again. But after he had eaten this time, it didn’t take long for something to happen. 

He had eaten all of the chicken and left the plate by the water bucket like he always did. When he went to the very end of the chains, he suddenly felt something stirring in his stomach. 

This time he couldn’t get comfortable. He laid down, but it instantly made him get up again, and he paced. The pain only seemed to get worse. It didn’t take a genius to realize what was wrong. 

Bill had poisoned him! 

Randall’s hands clutched at his pained belly. Was this how he was going to die? 

“Ohhhh!” Randall moaned. He laid down onto one of his sides, and then his back. His usual purple color had changed to a serious green, indicating he didn’t feel well. 

“Help me someone! Please!” Randall cried out. 

The pain had doubled by now. He could only lay on the ground, moaning, clutching his belly, his eyes were closed and his teeth bared in pain. It felt like something was trying to tear him apart from the inside out. 

He moved to one of his sides, then raised himself up. The best thing he could do would be to get rid of it. 

Randall began to tighten his stomach muscles and he strained himself hard enough that he did end up bringing the food back up again. He dry heaved just enough to make sure he got the toxic food out of his system. 

He panted heavily. His stomach still hurt, but it should stop soon. The pain had seemed to have slightly lightened up. 

Randall threw dirt over the mess and then and went and laid down somewhere else. Just trying to relax was not pleasant right now. His throat hurt from doing it too. There was still a lot of painful acid in his stomach. 

He managed to fall asleep eventually when the pain dulled some more. 

Bill went over later in the evening to see how the lizard was doing. He saw Randall was lying in the middle of between the trees. His back was to him. Was the lizard dead? 

The man went over and nudged Randall’s rear. 

Randall felt it and moaned. 

Bill saw he was still alive. 

Randall looked up and he saw the human standing right next to him. He was so tired, but at the same time, he panicked and jumped up, landing on his hurt arm. He cried out and picked it up. 

“So, how’s the lizard tonight? Stomach pains today?” Bill taunted him. 

Randall growled at him. He wanted to respond so badly. ‘Yes! You did it to me! You deserve to suffer like this!’ 

With his two lower hands, one being the hurt one, he held his belly. His color had changed back, but was paler. 

“Oh, don’t sweat it, Lizard. It was a test to see what you could handle. It wouldn’t have killed you. It just made you have a bad bellyache for awhile.” Bill said. 

‘Shows how much you know. You weren’t the one that had to writhe in agony all day.’ Randall thought to himself. As he did take notice of himself, his belly wasn’t hurting so much now. Getting the food out of his system was the best thing he had done. 

Bill got the plate and took it back to the house. 

While he was gone, Randall went to the bucket and got a drink of water. He just really hoped the water wasn’t drugged too. 

The water felt good in his dry mouth, but there was still some discomfort in his stomach from earlier as the water came in contact. 

Randall was now preparing for his night watch. 

Bill cleaned the plate and was off again. 

Randall felt lonely out here. No one to talk to and no one that respected him. The human that had stolen him gave him nothing but bad remarks and abuse. The marks on his body reflected it. The shackle on his neck still rubbed his skin raw. The two chains connected to the bond wouldn’t come off and he had only so little room to move around. 

The next day, it started raining, and Randall couldn’t get out of the rain. His whole body got soaked. It was still humid out and he did make the most of it by cleaning some dirt off of himself the best he could. But he really wanted a real bath. 

Bill didn’t come out that day. 

The next day was back to being sunny again. But Randall was found shivering and holding himself and trying to get warm under the sun’s rays. He had caught a chill from the rain. His system was delicate when it came to weather. 

Bill came to check on him and he saw that the lizard wasn’t normal. His breathing was heavier. 

“Hey, Lizard.” Bill said. 

Randall heard him, but didn’t react. But he did when he heard a whip crack on the ground next to him. He yelped and moved, despite not feeling well. 

Why did this human have to continue to torture him? He was sick and the human didn’t care. 

Bill forced Randall into his submissive posture again, which was lying flat on the ground, having all his limbs tucked into his body. His eyes were always wide with fear. 

“There’s someone else who is coming to see you today. I’m just letting you know.” 

That was the last thing that he needed, was someone new to torture him some more, or worse, get pictures of him and tell the whole world that he existed.


	7. Chapter 7

Bill stayed around this time, then his other two friends and the new person arrived in the afternoon. 

Bill had been in the house. He had tried to feed Randall again, but he refused to touch the food after what had happened before. 

The new guy was excited to see this new kind of lizard. 

Randall had tried to rest, but he was soon disturbed by the humans approaching. He gulped. 

It was another brown haired man and he had a tool kit with him. He didn’t look too friendly, but what if he was a doctor? Randall still watched him warily. 

“Get him subdued, boys.” Bill ordered. 

The two friends smiled and once again, went to the chains and began pulling on them to shorten them up and get Randall to where he couldn’t move away so much. 

Randall ended up instantly resisting once more, making the wounds on his already raw neck open up again. 

The new person knew this was no ordinary lizard. While his friends were getting Randall subdued, he pulled Bill aside. 

“Bill, do you have an idea what you have here?” 

“A purple lizard.” 

“That’s not just any lizard. No normal lizard has eight legs or antenna on their heads. My brother’s son used to complain of a lizard monster that came out of his closet and scared him not too long ago. I think that’s the monster. He’s a monster, Bill. Who knows how many kids he’s harmed.” The man said. 

“So I have quite the prize indeed.” Bill said. 

“Yes, you do. I want to spend some time with him, alone.” 

“Alright.” 

They turned and the other two were nearly done getting Randall subdued, but then, Bill called them off. “Guys, leave him be for the moment. My friend here wants to be alone with the lizard.” 

The two men reluctantly let go of the chains and Randall felt instant relief. His neck was sore and bleeding again. He had more chain wrapped on his neck again too. 

Randall watched as the three men he knew of walk away while he was alone with this new one. ‘Please don’t hurt me.’ He said in his mind. 

“Hello, Monster.” The man said. 

Randall looked at him in surprise. He knew he was a monster? This could be trouble. 

“Don’t think I don’t know that you can understand me. I’m sure you can talk too. Am I right?” 

Randall looked away and said nothing. 

“I know you’re not a normal animal. Tell me, you scared kids before, right? Or harmed them?” 

Randall turned back to him. He gave him a hard stare. 

“I knew you could understand me. Tell me, what’s your name, Monster?” 

This man obviously knew what he was. He hesitantly replied. “Randall. Randall Boggs.” 

“I knew it! You can talk!” 

“Yes. I can. Now what do you want?” 

“I’m here to help my friend, Bill out. Whether you talk or not, he still has plans that are going to be carried out shortly.” 

“I never did anything to him! And he still continues to hurt me! I want these stupid chains off of me!” 

“I think they suit you perfectly. Gives them more control over you. And yet, you were found living with someone who had a kid and you followed him around like a puppy. How did that go? How about obeying my friend, and he might take you off the chains?” 

Randall glared at him. “I followed that kid around because he was my friend! He respected me, which is something your friend doesn’t do with me. I‘ll never obey him!” 

“Well, I know you’ve harmed other kids. Now you’re going to pay for it.” 

“I never harmed any kids! Scared them in the past, yes, but never harmed them!” Randall wasn’t even about to bring up what almost happened with the one little girl. He had almost done something bad to a kid, but he knew better now. 

The man walked away to go get the other men for the plans to take place. 

Randall didn’t like the line that he was going to pay for it. It just meant something bad was going to happen. He tried once again to get the chains off, but nothing. 

The four humans soon came back. The two others were now allowed to fully subdue Randall. 

Randall squirmed and rolled around trying to get loose again. He even managed to trip one of the men with his tail and he only got a good jerk on the chain connecting to his sore neck. The extra chain around his neck was also choking him. He tried to keep it from going tighter with his hands. 

Then Bill went forward with the shovel. “Stop struggling now, Lizard!” He demanded. 

With the shovel in his hands, Randall obeyed. He laid down. 

“Gary!” Bill said, referring to the blonde one on the right, “Go up by his head.” 

“Yes Bill.” 

The one that was found to be called Gary went up and grabbed Randall by the head and pulled his neck back. Randall still resisted. 

Bill looked at the other guy and gave him a signal. The brown haired one called Gus gave a powerful jerk on the chain.

“Now, Lizard, get onto your back.” 

Randall still didn’t listen. 

“Gary.” 

“Yes.” 

Gary still held Randall’s head, but then grabbed his hands and pulled them all tight together, even the injured one. 

Randall cried out when his injured arm was pulled on, and then, the other man came forward and helped to tie all four of his hands together in the front. They needed more control. And the injury could help with that. 

“I said, get onto your back now!” Bill said again. 

Gary reached forward and grabbed one of Randall’s legs and began to pull. 

Randall cried out, but he couldn’t do much. He was forced onto his back, now exposing his vulnerable underside. He could only hope they weren’t going to hurt him. He looked up at them with fear in his eyes. 

The new man, named Carson, was looking down at the scared lizard monster. He had a plan. 

“You got him steady?” Carson asked. 

“Yes.” Gary replied. Gus nodded. He had Randall’s head pulled up with the shackle and chain and Gary’s hands helped to hold his head up and holding the tied hands. 

Randall was taking deep, shallow breaths. Carson eyed his breathing. He picked up the shovel. 

Tears had welled in Randall’s eyes. “Please… let me go.”

Bill was amazed that Carson got him to talk. “I don’t think so, Lizard. I’m not done yet.” Bill said. Then he turned to Carson. “Get him right there.” He gestured to a spot on Randall’s middle. 

Carson nodded. 

Randall’s head was held up so he couldn’t see what they were doing. But he knew something new and bad was going to happen next. 

Carson aimed the shovel and brought it down right onto the space between Randall’s second pair of arms. 

“OH!” Randall cried out, and not just from the pain, but the wind was knocked right out of him and there was a crack from in there too. 

Randall was now having a hard time breathing. His stomach hurt. Then Gary pulled on his fronds, making him pull his head back up again, making him grunt and wince. 

“And lower.” He heard. 

Another blow to the lower section of his gut. 

Randall struggled to breathe after another scream. “Oh, please… stop.” He sobbed. 

“Ok, next, this is going to hurt you more than it hurts us.” Carson said. 

“Please… no.” Randall said weakly. He was so winded and in pain he couldn’t move. 

Randall heard some rattling about and then there was suddenly some weight on top of his legs. It made him gasp. He tried to look down, but then the chain was yanked on so hard that it made him bring his head up again. 

“Now this is going to hurt.” 

Randall felt something sharp pierce the flesh on his stomach. He screamed again. 

“Put this in his mouth and shut him up!” Bill said. 

A cloth was put into his mouth and it was held shut. That made Randall move again. 

“Bite down on that cloth!” Bill said. 

The scalpel was dragged down Randall’s belly in a straight line. The poor lizard monster screamed with his mouth shut and did indeed bite down on the cloth. Tears poured from his eyes. 

The wound was bleeding. Then Carson began cutting deeper into the flesh, making Randall scream some more. 

“I’ve got an idea to take away the pain for now. Here Gary, do it.” Carson said. “Let him see first.” 

Randall was now allowed to see the damage done to his body. Carson was still on top of him. But then, there was a hard hit to the back of his head. Randall immediately went limp. 

“But he’s still alive, right?” Bill asked. 

Carson looked at the belly and it was moving. “Yes, he’s still alive. But now we can continue without him screaming.” 

Carson opened up the tissues until he found the internal organs. He cut into the stomach to see what the lining looked like from after the poisoning. He checked the intestines too and they seemed fine, but the stomach lining had been burned a bit more. 

Once he was done, Carson got off of Randall and he sewed the organs and tissues and skin back up. It wasn’t the most perfect job, but it got the wounds back together. 

“Now I’m going to set those bones.” Carson said. 

The man set Randall’s lower arm, and bandaged it with sticks as a splint. He had to re-break it, as Bill had never had it treated and it was healing wrong. 

“Help me bandage his middle.” Carson said. 

Gary helped to wrap bandages around the lizard’s middle. 

“Now, do you have the key to that shackle?” Carson asked Bill. 

“Yes.” 

“Take that shackle off.” 

“But if he wakes up, we’ll lose him.” 

“Believe me, he’s not going anywhere. Now do it.” 

Bill unlocked and took the shackle off of Randall’s neck. 

Carson could see that there were major infected wounds from that shackle on the neck. He cleaned the wounds with disinfectant and then began wrapping them as well. 

“My suggestion is moving him inside now. Or doing whatever you want to do with him now. He seems to be having trouble breathing too.” Carson said. “He’s almost no use to you now. Were you only wanting this lizard to torture him?” 

“More like a test subject. I live to torture reptiles. They’re all monsters.” Bill said. 

“I would suggest you get rid of him if you’re going to have him treated this bad.” 

“I’ll give him back to the one I took him from, once I see how good he is at evading me in a hunt.” Bill said. 

“Good.” 

The men would all be happy to get rid of this lizard, though a hunt would be fun first.

Despite the bandages, the shackle was cleaned up too and put back on Randall’s neck.

Bill drove to his main house and got his dog, the injured one. The leg was still in a cast, but on a leash, he could be a tracker. Bill was going to have so much fun tracking that lizard monster. 

When he got back with the dog, it was taken in the house and Bill began to prepare areas around the place where the lizard might run to.


	8. Chapter 8

Randall soon did come out of being knocked out and he felt he had such a headache. But more so, a good portion of his body was in extreme pain and his breathing was heavier. It seemed to hurt to even take a deep breath, or one at all. 

He looked down at his body and he saw he had bandages wrapped all around his middle, his broken arm was in a splint, and he felt something soft on his neck. He felt his neck and he still felt the shackle, but he also felt bandages as well. 

So Carson had taken the time to make sure his injuries were taken of. That was nice, but why did it hurt so much to breathe? 

Within a short time, two men, Bill and Carson came back outside to see him. 

“I see you are awake again.” Bill said. “Now that you are up, let’s see how good you really are at getting away.” 

Randall’s eyes lit up at that. He got up and began to back away again. 

“Come here, Lizard. I’m gonna unlock that collar. Just hold still.” Bill said. 

Randall still held back, but he didn’t move. He saw the keys and he let the man approach. He raised his head, letting Bill put the key into the lock. He felt the shackle come off. 

Randall instantly rubbed his sore neck. Then he growled at the men. 

“That’s some gratitude.” Carson said. “Now get out of here!” He picked up the shovel again to make his point known. 

Randall instantly cringed and though he was in extreme pain, he turned and ran into the wild. 

“Now this should be quite entertaining.” Bill said. “I’ll give him a good head start first.” 

They went back inside to get the dog, but would wait for several minutes. 

Randall ran a good distance before he pulled up to catch his breath. For some reason, something felt off in his diaphragm. But it was also the pain radiating from his stomach that also had him pulling up. It hurt to be running like this. His lower hands held the belly as he went. 

His deep breaths were putting more pressure on the wounds. He sat down and pulled some of the top of the bandages down to see the wound and he saw there were stitches in the skin. No wonder it wasn’t bleeding, but it could change if the wound was reopened. He covered it back up. Now he just needed to figure out how to get clear away from here. 

He really needed Jesse’s help right now. He also looked at his arm and it was splinted, but it was hurting twice as much now. He held it with his other hand. But then, he heard something. It sounded like a barking dog. 

That was the last thing he needed on his tail. Painfully, Randall pushed himself up and went on, his lower arms trying to cushion the wounds on his belly. But it was even harder to breathe as he ran. 

He crossed some empty corn field and then came to a fence. He was upright right now. He followed the fence line and then went back into a forest again. He was trying to find a place where he could rest. But the dog’s barking seemed like it was getting closer. 

He stayed still for a moment longer and he saw a dog running ahead of four men. Randall saw it was the same men who had just released him. 

If he lost the bandages, he could use his invisibility to really get away, but then, there was the dog. It was evidently on his trail. 

Randall went on running through the woods, but soon saw what looked like a human’s home up ahead. It was a green house with a big gray barn. He could get into the barn and rest. Then he would figure out how to get back to Jesse’s. 

But before he could even make it to the barn, suddenly, there was a SNAP! And Randall screamed in pain as something painful closed around his right foreleg. It made him go down. 

Randall looked down at his leg and saw that there was a trap in the middle of his leg. It had broken the bone too, he could feel it. He wasn’t going anywhere now. 

He tried to reach down and open the trap, but it hurt too much to even do that with the wounds in his belly and his breathing problem. His day couldn’t get any worse and the humans were already hunting him down. 

Randall laid back and only hoped his end came quickly. 

The dog tracked the lizard all the way up to where he and the four men found Randall laying on the ground, looking up at them with fear in his eyes, and one of his legs caught in a trap. 

The men couldn’t help but laugh at the scene. 

“Nice run, Lizard! Looks like you got caught in one of the neighbor’s traps. A predator was raiding his chickens, but that wouldn’t be you.” Bill laughed. 

Randall was not finding this funny at all. 

“Just… get me out of it!” He yelled and winced. A jolt of pain went through his stomach. He let out a big breath. 

“I think I’m enjoying this too much!” Gus said. 

Carson went over and though he too was grinning, he got down and opened the trap up and Randall pulled his leg out, but he couldn’t get up. 

His lower right arm held the leg. His teeth were bared in pain. 

“Get up, Lizard. We’re taking you back.” Bill said. 

Randall glared up at him. “No, I’m not! Leave me… alone!” His breathing was raspy. 

The dog stepped in front of Bill and barked and growled at the injured lizard. 

Randall fell back onto the ground, trying to avoid contact with the canine. He then tried to pull himself away on his side, but then, Carson stepped on his tail. 

He screamed out again. 

“Get him!” Carson said. 

Gus and Gary forced Randall to stand up, even on his broken leg, making the poor monster whine in pain. His upper hands were forced behind his back and tied. Then his lower hands were forced back too. 

“Oh, please don’t tie them.” Randall pleaded. 

But his plea was ignored as pain erupted in his sore arm. 

“Now move it, Lizard, or I’ll let my dog on you.” Bill warned. 

One man stood on all sides of Randall. Bill stayed right behind him with the dog to keep him moving. Randall could see the dog had a hurt leg too. 

The men, lizard, and dog made the way back to the Bill’s hunting cabin. Randall could feel the broken bones in his leg that were moving about the way they shouldn’t. It was real slow going for him. 

Randall collapsed to the ground when they got back. It was so hard to breathe. 

Carson took the dog while Bill went and got a hard stick. 

“Now your pain will be taken away, Lizard.” Carson said. 

Randall couldn’t move with his hands behind his back and he looked up at him, not seeing Bill. He figured they were going to kill him now. 

Then he felt a hard hit to his head again, and everything went black. 

“He sure looks dead now.” Gus said. 

“He’s not dead. He’s just unconscious. You two, take him back to where we got him from, Dr. Shrubner’s place.” Bill ordered. 

They would be glad to get rid of this troublesome lizard. 

Randall’s breathing was heavily labored. Gus and Gary picked him up and carried him to the truck. They left him tied up in the back as they made their way back to Jesse’s.


	9. Chapter 9

Bill’s two men took Randall back to Jesse’s house and dumped him on the front lawn, untied his hands, and rang the doorbell and took off. He was still unconscious. 

Rowan answered the door and found no one there, but then she saw what was on the lawn. “Randall!” She screamed and ran forward. 

She knelt down on the ground and saw the unconscious, wounded monster. She immediately ran inside and called Jesse. 

Jesse was glad Randall was back and he had to get off early, as Rowan said his friend was in bad shape. He needed to be back inside before Travis got home. 

Jesse and Rowan carried him inside. They took him to the special surgical room that was in the house. 

“Oh man, Randall, what did those monsters do to you?” Jesse asked angrily. 

He took off all bandages and saw all the horrendous wounds that were inflicted. The stitches in Randall’s stomach looked so awful and were rather loose and the wound was bleeding in some spots. 

Jesse knew he was going to have to do some serious surgery on Randall. He put an IV in his one of his upper arms and put a tube down his throat, he was having labored breathing. And he made sure to keep him under anesthesia. 

Rowan stayed in there to help when needed, but let her husband do the work. 

By the time he was done, Travis was home and Rowan was sent up to talk to him that Randall was back, but he was in no shape for visitors right now. Jesse was still working on him. He could see him when he was stable. 

But who knows what Randall’s temperament was going to be like when he woke up? He might have to lock him up just in case until they were certain he would be alright in temperament. 

After Jesse was done, he had gotten Randall’s broken arm and leg in casts, all the wounds on his stomach sewed back up and making sure the organs were fine, and he had found a broken rib that had pierced Randall’s diaphragm, hence his labored breathing. And he had seen all the whip wounds, which he stapled some together. And he had to sew some wounds on his neck back together too. His neck was also re-bandaged up too. 

Randall was one big mess. 

With the diaphragm fixed up, his breathing straightened out again. He had had to take off much of that broken rib and sew the diaphragm back up. 

A pillow and some bedding was put into a big cage in the room. Jesse and Rowan carried Randall into it and kept his IV in so he stayed hydrated and got the toxins out. Then he was covered with a couple blankets. The room was cool for the sterilization. 

Jesse hated to have to cage Randall like this, but it was for all their safety until further notice, until they knew of Randall’s outcome. 

Travis was finally allowed into the room, but he could only look at Randall from behind bars. 

“I want to hug him so much.” Travis said. 

“I know you do, bro, but he’s in no condition for that. You can in time, when he lets you. He was unconscious when Rowan found him and we have no idea what his temperament is going to be after he went through all that trauma.” Jesse said, giving him the hug he needed, as it hurt to see Randall in that shape. 

“I just want to know who took him.” Travis said. 

“I do too.” Jesse said. “For now, let’s let him rest.” 

They walked out of the room. Randall was left to come out of unconsciousness. But there was a monitor that would let them know when he woke up.   
……………..

Randall was later found to have a fever, and it kept him out for a few days. But Jesse and Rowan kept a constant eye on him. Travis would come in every day after school and talk to him, trying to get him to wake up, but nothing. Rowan would even sing healing songs for him. 

After four long days, Randall finally came to. When he realized he was still alive, he found it amazing he was. He had thought those men were going to finish him for sure. When his vision focused some more, he felt something over him and he saw he had blankets over him. 

He saw he was lying in some bedding material, but he saw he was in a cage now. If he had been in the monster world, that would no doubt where he would be too, but now he guessed those men had put him in a cage for their own amusement. 

Randall tried to sit up. He instantly felt the pain in his stomach, but continued to sit up. He pushed the blankets off of himself, but it had felt good to be under blankets again. 

He looked down at himself and he saw a cast on his lower left arm, an IV in his upper right one, felt bandages on his neck and stomach, but could see the ones on his belly. And he felt something on his right foreleg. He pulled the blanket away and saw a cast. 

Everything he remembered had been no dream. He covered himself back up and laid back down. Why did those men have to be so mean to him? He had done nothing to them. 

Then Randall heard footsteps and in walked a blonde man. He looked up at the human. 

“Randall?” He heard his name. 

“Go away.” Randall said. 

“Randall, it’s Jesse. I just want to help you.” Jesse said. 

“I said… go away.” He winced. 

Jesse opened up the cage door anyway. 

Couldn’t this guy take the hint? Randall instantly snarled and tried to bite at Jesse when he didn’t listen. 

“Take it easy, Randall!” Jesse said. 

Randall just glared angrily and growled. 

Jesse took the hint and left the cage. He locked it. He knew it was possible for his friend to have been traumatized and that had been the reason for locking him up for his own good. 

Randall saw the human leave the room. He couldn’t help that the tears came. Right now, he just wanted to be left alone. And he didn’t like being caged. He just wanted his misery to end. 

When Jesse went to talk to Rowan, he said, “I don’t think he recognized me. Whoever did this to him sure messed him up good. That’s why I knew it was a good idea to cage him up for his own good.” 

“Well, I hope he comes out of it, or he’s not going to be allowed to stay here. He would pose a threat to us all and the baby.” Rowan said. 

“I’m sure he’ll come out of it soon. He just needs more time. He just woke up.” 

“Like I said, just be careful and watch him carefully.” Rowan said. 

When Travis got home, he was thrilled Randall was finally awake, but Jesse warned him he wasn’t the same Randall that they had known before. 

“I’m sure he’ll remember me.” Travis said. 

“You can try to talk to him, but you cannot go in his cage, Travis, I mean it. He’s loose and he might attack.” Jesse warned. 

“I won’t.”   
……………..

Randall figured he would wait until he was stronger and then he would try to break out. Then he heard more footsteps. He groaned. He turned his head. 

“Randall?” 

The lizard heard a child’s voice. But he didn’t want to see him. 

“Randall, please talk to me. It’s your friend, Travis.” The boy said. 

“Go away, Kid.” Randall said. 

“Randall, please let me help you. I just want to be your friend.” 

“I have no friends.” The lizard growled. 

Travis felt hurt at those words. “Fine! If that’s how you feel!” 

Travis ran out of the room. He ran to his room and cried. 

Jesse and Rowan figured it hadn’t gone too well. 

Jesse kept on trying for the next days to get Randall to come around, and even trying to feed him and give him water. 

The water Randall would take, but he didn’t eat. 

“Come on, Randall, you need to eat. You need to get your strength back.” Jesse said. 

“I’m not hungry.” He growled. 

“If you don’t eat soon, I’ll be forced to take more drastic measures, Randall.” Jesse warned. 

Soon, Jesse stepped into the cage again and Randall was now up and he growled and bared his teeth at him. 

Jesse saw that the lizard monster’s face and body language meant business. 

“Randall, please, let me help you. I don’t want to hurt you. You need to eat, your bandages need to be changed, you need to let me help you.” Jesse said. 

Randall began to approach him, menacing him. He was still snarling. “Get out!” He yelled. 

The attack made Jesse get out and slam the door shut. His friend had really changed in the time he had been gone. 

Jesse wondered if he was going to have to put Randall down if he was going to be too dangerous. He didn’t want to, but he would if he had to. He wouldn’t even allow his little brother back in here. 

The next day, Travis went to school again and Jesse went back to work. 

Rowan was once again, home alone. She hadn’t been in to see Randall yet since before helping with his surgery. 

When she got up, she went in to see him to see how he really was. He was still sleeping. She saw he looked peaceful while sleeping, but she needed to see him awake. She wouldn’t go in the cage with him, but she would try to talk to him later. 

When he later woke up, soon he heard footsteps. He wished the humans would just leave him alone. He kept his back turned. 

“Randall, are you awake?” 

This time it was a female voice. He turned his head around ever so slowly because of his sore neck. 

“Yes.” He said in a calmer voice. 

“How are you feeling?” 

Randall opened his eyes some more and he saw Rowan on the other side. “Rowan?” 

“Yes, it’s me, Randall.” 

“Where am I?” He asked. 

“You are at mine and Jesse’s home again, just in the infirmary. How could you treat Jesse and Travis the way you have?!” Rowan snapped angrily at him. 

Randall winced at the sharp tone in her voice. 

“They have just tried to help and be your friends since you woke up and you won’t even give them a chance!” 

Randall sobbed. 

Rowan stopped yelling at him. 

“I’m sorry. I just thought I was still in a bad place with the bad men who were torturing me.” Randall said sadly. His fronds were against his head. 

“You were only placed in the cage because we didn’t know if you were going to attack us after we saw the wounds on your body and figured you had been abused. Once you’ve proven that you aren’t going to harm us, then we’ll let you out, but for now, you are staying in there. And you really need to eat something.” 

“I was whipped, kicked, starved, poisoned, hunted, nearly gutted. They did this to me.” Randall said sadly. He meant the men who had him. 

Rowan could understand a little more now why he didn’t want to eat. But he needed to. 

“Randall, I can understand why you don’t want to eat, but you need to. Please, I can go get you something. Travis really needs you. I know he’s upset with what you said to him, but he could forgive you if you’re willing to be friends again.” She explained. 

“I would never truly mean to hurt the kid. I just wasn’t in my right mind yet.” Randall said. 

“I know you usually wouldn’t, but he missed you terribly, being his friend and helping with his homework. It was so hard to get him to do it. You always made it fun for him. Find that person you once were for him.” 

“I think I have now. Yeah, I’ll try some food, but I just hope that my stomach can handle it. The poison I had might have done some damage.” He said. 

“Alright.” 

Rowan went and got him some chicken noodle soup. It should be gentle enough. 

Randall had gotten up. Rowan came back in and shoved the bowl into the cage. 

Randall picked up the bowl and he began to slowly eat the soup. It was so good. His stomach seemed better, that it could handle food again. Then he asked for seconds, aware for the first time how hungry he was. 

The Haida woman was glad to be helping him. 

Randall soon noticed her belly too, the size of it. “How far along is the baby now?” 

“Eighteen weeks. I am feeling her move.” 

“It’s a girl?” 

“Yes. While you were gone, we found out.” 

For the first time in a long time, he smiled. “Congrats.” Then he hissed in pain. Some of the tissues were burning in his belly. 

“Thanks. Now, do you know who did this to you?” 

“The one who did see me most was one called Bill. His associates were called Gus and Gary. There came a fourth one, but I don’t know his name.” Randall said. 

“We’ll find out.” 

Rowan later relayed the message to Jesse later on. 

So, Bill had taken Randall after he had told him no. There deserved to be justice, but with Randall having to remain a secret from the world, he didn’t know how to go on about it. 

For the first time, Randall allowed Jesse to change his bandages that night. He was finally calmer like he used to be. 

The wounds didn’t look too bad, but were still red and swollen. 

Travis had been told Randall seemed alright now, but he didn’t want to see him. This would take some time to win trust back again.


	10. Chapter 10

Randall was still kept confined for a few more days to make sure he was alright. When he was finally let out, Jesse had made him a crutch to help him walk on the broken leg. 

The injuries were healing, if feeling slow. Since Travis was still upset with him, they weren’t sharing the same room at the moment. Randall was made a new temporary sleeping spot in the living room. He stayed on the couch. 

His appetite was back and the bandages were changed every other day. 

Travis got home one day and saw the extent of the wounds when Rowan was changing them. He couldn’t believe how bad they were. 

The whole family knew the story by now. Randall looked over at the boy. 

“Travis, I’m sorry for snapping at you. I was just stressed from what happened to me and just didn’t want to be around anyone after I had undergone all the torture that I did, but I’m alright now. Are we still friends? When I’m well again, we can do things together again.” 

Travis saw that the lizard was being sincere and his eyes and face were softer since the last time. “Yeah. I’m sorry too. I was just so happy you were awake when you didn’t wake up for those four days. We didn’t know if you were going to make it. I need my best friend back.” 

Randall smiled. The boy and monster shook hands. Randall couldn’t handle hugs right now. 

After the settlement, Randall could move back into the room he and Travis shared, but he had to have the lower bunk with his injuries. 

During the day while Jesse and Travis were out, Randall was encouraged to move around the house and a little outside. Travis had to get up earlier and do the morning chores for the animals because of his friend’s limitations. But Randall would resume them when he was well again. 

Randall helped Rowan out with what he could at this point, but not too much. He saw the nursery had been done. It definitely showed it was a little girl’s room. 

“So, what’s her name going to be?” Randall asked. 

“Joanna Lee Shrubner.” Rowan said. 

Randall thought it over. “It sounds like a good name.” 

“Don’t you wish you could have a family of your own, Randall?” Rowan asked him. 

He looked away sadly. “I don’t know. All who I loved back home I pushed away years ago. And if I went back, if the authorities found out I was back, I would probably be put in jail for what I did with that little girl and what I nearly did to Sullivan and Wazowski. And being involved with Waternoose. Everything was a disaster. And I’m in no shape right now to be in a prison.” 

“Yes, we can see that. Just remember, if you do decide to go back, you have our support. I know Travis might feel differently, but he’s at that age right now where everything has to revolve around him. You’re his best friend. You tend to keep him on the straightened arrow. You keep him focused. When you were gone, he was so lost without you.” Rowan explained. 

“I never wanted that to happen. I had no control over it. But that Bill guy wanted me to obey him just because he saw me with Travis. I listen to you guys because you are my friends and my family. I may never have one of my own, but everyone back in my world practically abandoned me anyway. This is my home now.” Randall said. 

Rowan could tell he truly was back to his old self, but at night while sleeping, she knew that he had bad dreams of what he went through. It wouldn’t be easy to forget those awful memories. 

Then she said, “Randall, though the baby’s room is ready for her now, with the bad dreams you are having, maybe until things pass a little more, it might be better if you stay in the baby’s room for awhile. At least until you feel better. I know you’ll have those memories forever ingrained, but when they are fresh, they are hard to ignore. And Travis has said you are keeping him up at night.” 

“I don’t mean to. And yes, it might be a good idea.” He agreed. 

Later in the day, a mattress was put in the baby’s room and away from the crib and Randall’s bedding was added to it. It was only temporary until hopefully, the bad dreams would pass. And hopefully before the baby was born.   
……………..

Randall felt his healing time was all too slow. He wanted to do things normally again. But he just had the limitations he had with the injuries. 

Jesse had changed the casts on his arm and leg to braces. It had now been three weeks since he had been returned to them. The stitches had just come out of certain wounds. And though Randall liked having the stitches out, there was still burning inside his belly. The tissues inside were still healing too. 

He was still sleeping in the baby’s room, but he still did homework with Travis in his room any night he had it to do. Then they would watch a movie, play video games, or play a board game. 

Now that Randall wasn’t wearing bandages on his middle anymore, Rowan eyed the scar there, feeling unsure of it. She hoped she wouldn’t have her child by c-section, but if it came to it, it would. 

One day, while both the human boys were out at school and work, Rowan had come in from cleaning the kitchen to the living room and Randall was just relaxing on the couch. The TV was on, playing some movie. 

Rowan sat down on the couch with Randall and he curled his tail around himself. She saw Randall lay his head back as if going to sleep. She moved herself closer to him and looked at the scar again. It had been a good long one. 

She reached her right hand over and stroked his belly. She began to gently rub it. 

Randall became aware he was being touched. He opened his eyes and raised his head, seeing Rowan. “What were you doing?” He asked. 

“Just giving a belly rub. Does it still hurt in there?” She asked. 

“Yeah, sometimes.” He replied. 

“Belly rubs can be soothing, if you let me.” 

Randall considered it a moment, then he turned from his side onto his back. 

Rowan took that as a yes to proceed. She gently rubbed and massaged his belly. 

He winced when she pressed inward a little bit. 

“Just relax.” She said. 

“It just still burns right there.” 

She continued, despite his groans.

Pretty soon, it turned into a whole body massage. The braces were even taken off and massaged too on the still healing arm and leg. She mainly just worked the painful muscles. 

Randall tried hard not to scream from those spots being worked. 

When she was done, Rowan had an idea. “From all the pain that your body still has, maybe this is a good idea to be done right before bed at night.” 

“Yeah, it is. But then, what about you? You won’t be able to get up off the floor soon.” 

“We can do it here on the couch.” She said. “Like just now.” 

Later that night, she talked to Jesse about it and he agreed if it would help heal him faster, it was fine. Then she gave him another one and by the time she was done, Randall was almost asleep. 

Jesse helped him to his room. 

That night felt like the first time that Randall slept peacefully without any bad dreams. They were filled more with his childhood, his mom giving him love and letting him lay in the grass and such. 

When the alarm went off, Randall found it was only dreams. He really missed his mom. Maybe Rowan was beginning to bring that feeling back, considering she was about to be a mom herself. 

Every night after that for quite awhile, Rowan would give Randall a body massage to try to help him sleep better at night.   
……………..

At Bill’s house, he felt like something was missing. He had trophies of all kinds of animals in his home. His dog’s leg was nearly healed now and couldn’t wait to take him hunting for real again. 

But he still felt he needed that lizard monster back. He would be more of a prize as a trophy than all the others combined. What use did Dr. Shrubner have with him anyway? 

Bill was going to get the lizard back. If the lizard couldn’t obey him, then he would take him as his trophy.   
……………

Ever since the death of his parents, and Travis had had to relocate down to Louisiana, his original closet monster had been Fungus. And Fungus had been looking for him for a long time. 

Randall was still sleeping in the baby’s room for right now. But on this night, Fungus found Travis’s new room and made a good impression on the boy. 

Travis then spoke to Fungus about if he happened to know a monster named Randall. 

“Randall? How do you know him? He was my old scaring partner, back when we scared kids before reverting to making you laugh.” Fungus said. “Is he causing trouble? I haven’t seen him in over three years though.” 

“Well, no. But I know him because he’s living with my family. He’s a family friend. He recently went missing and was returned to us hurt real bad by some maniac. I don’t know who though.” Travis explained. “I have a bunk bed because before he was taken away, we shared it. We are almost like brothers, but he is my best friend. But right now, he’s sleeping in another room because his bad dreams are so bad from what he went through.” 

Fungus listened intently. He would never have pictured his ex-partner becoming friends with humans. He still remembered him like how he was before he had disappeared, and Randall was on the Wanted list for causing trouble back in the monster world. If he stepped foot in there, he would be instantly arrested. 

“If he’s showing a different side of himself, then maybe, I’d like to see him when I come tomorrow night.” Fungus said. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” Travis said. 

Fungus left. He had collected the boy’s laugh and that was good. He would be back tomorrow night to hopefully see his old ex-boss partner.   
…………….

Randall’s injuries were just down to the arm and leg. The leg was in good enough shape now that he could walk around outside more. He was now helping Travis out again with some of the barn chores. He still couldn’t lift hay bales or heavy buckets. 

The next morning before school, Travis spoke to Randall while they did the chores. 

“Randall, I have some news.” 

“What about?” 

“Do you remember your old scaring friend?” 

Randall stiffened at that. “Fungus? Yeah. What about him?” 

“He found me again after trying to find me again after I moved down here. I kind of told him you lived here. He wants to see you again, if that’s alright with you? Tonight?” Travis stated. 

Randall wasn’t sure what to make of it. He was nervous of seeing any others from his old dimension again. He knew what risk he would be taking of going to jail. 

“Alright. It would be nice to see him again. I just hope I don’t get dragged back there for this.” Randall said. 

Travis was pleased. He couldn’t wait to see them together.


	11. Chapter 11

That night, Randall was in the room with Travis as promised. He made himself vanish however and just laid on the bed because of his braces. 

Travis waited for Fungus to come through his closet. 

Around 10, Fungus finally came in. He was alone. 

Randall did see him, but stayed quiet for the most part. He was waiting for the right moment. 

Fungus got Travis’s attention and rode a little unicycle around the room, juggling three balls and tripped up. Travis laughed so hard. 

Randall gave a silent laugh and smiled. 

“So, you said that you would get Randall in here?” Fungus said. 

“You know, you could polish up the act some more.” Randall appeared with a devious grin. 

It frightened Fungus a bit when he suddenly saw his old work partner appear on the bed below. “Hi, Randall. How… are you?” 

Randall got off the bed and helped his friend up. Travis watched. 

Fungus saw the braces on his hurt leg and arm. The kid had been right, that he was hurt. 

“I’ve been better.” Randall said. 

“What happened to you?” Fungus asked. 

“Long story. But short story, humans tortured me. Not these, but others.” 

“Are you going to come back to our world?” 

“I haven’t been there for three years, Fungus. And if I went back, how would I know they won’t throw me in jail? I have nothing there anymore. This is my home now. But you’re welcome to come and visit.” Randall said. 

Fungus was surprised to see his ex-partner actually had some real manners. He really had changed. Maybe living here for him was for the best if they had brought out his more friendly side. He had never seen much of it before now. 

“Okay. Well, it was good to see you again, Randall.” Fungus said. 

“You too, old buddy. And I’m sorry about how I used to treat you. Things were just bad for me, especially from Waternoose’s treatment of me. Come back anytime.” Randall said. 

“Thanks.” Fungus said and left out through the door. 

“How did you treat him before?” Travis asked. 

“Not very nice. Kind of how I treated you a little while back.” Randall replied. “It’s been a long time since I’ve talked to any other monsters from my old world.” 

“Well, now you have at least one friend that knows you’re here.” 

“Yeah. I just hope he doesn’t drag in the authorities to get me.” Randall said. 

Travis hoped not too. He loved Randall so much.   
……………..

On the other side, Fungus mostly kept most things to himself. He had thought he would never see Randall again and it had done him good for these three years. But now, he might have a chance to rekindle a friendship with him and saw a different side of him. 

On his way back from the locker bathrooms later, he paused at a Wanted list picture of Randall and it said all he was wanted for. He couldn’t tell anybody where he was. Randall might have been guilty of those things before, but he certainly had changed. 

The picture said that Randall was wanted for conspiracy, industrial espionage, assault, kidnapping, and sucker punching.   
……………..

Fungus began to look forward to coming every night. Even after hours at times. 

Randall was hesitant the first time to let Fungus see him under lights, but he saw the reason why. 

Fungus saw all the horrendous scars on his friend’s body. The whip marks, the long scar down his stomach, one on his face, and the scars on his neck. 

“They really did torture you, didn’t they?” Fungus stated. 

“Yeah. Cut stomach, poisoned, starved, whipped, chains kept on my neck and I pulled on them so much they made wounds on my neck. Broken arm and got hunted down and got a broken leg from getting caught in a trap. My arm and leg are nearly healed now. And Travis’s brother corrected my vision for me.” Randall gave the story. “And hit in the head with a shovel upon first arrival. Jesse, Travis’s brother, fixed my wounds and gave me a life. A new life.” 

Fungus knew he had been through a lot.

“Does anyone else know that I’m here?” 

“No. I haven’t told anyone. Not even Wazowski or Sullivan. The way you are now, you should make amends with them.” 

“I did, before I decided to stay here.” Randall said. “I know Wazowski wouldn’t miss me.” 

“What about your family?” 

“I doubt they want to see me. I pushed them away years ago.” 

“But wouldn’t it be worth it to make amends with them now? They deserve to see the real new you. This seems more like what you are meant to be, Randall.” 

“Yeah, but I don’t know. I’m still concerned that if I go back, I know where I’ll end up going.” 

“Not if you are invisible. I can set things up with your family if you want me to and I can take you to them.” Fungus said. 

“Just give me some time first. I’m still not ready to face them.” 

“That’s fine.” 

Fungus soon left. 

Travis then spoke, “Why don’t you want to see them? We should all have family in our lives.” 

“I know. I’m just concerned about how they would think of me after how I pushed them away so long ago. I just need more time to think about it, Travis.” 

“So, what family do you have over there, anyway?” 

“A sister and her son. Our parents are dead.” 

“I’m sorry. I know how you feel.” 

“Well, my mom is dead I know. I never met my father.” Randall said. 

“He might still be alive then.” 

“Possible, but he didn’t want a thing to do with us, our mom had told us.” 

Travis had been so glad to have had his dad in his life for as long as he had, but Jesse had known him longer. And now Jesse was becoming a dad. 

It would still take some days of thinking about it first before he would make the trip back.   
…………….

Soon after, Jesse took the braces off the arm and leg and took x-rays. The bones looked healed. And the tissues inside Randall’s stomach weren’t hurting anymore, but they still needed time to heal some more internally. 

Randall was grateful to Jesse in all he had done to help him get well again. He had also wanted to be well again before he would even go back so his injuries wouldn’t give him away. 

Randall felt he was nearly ready to face his family again. But he had yet to hear from Fungus if they would be willing to see him. 

He had talked to Jesse and Rowan about it and they said that he should see them again, make amends. He was always welcome to come back. And they knew there was a chance he might not come back at all, or come back and say he was going to stay there. 

Randall said he would always come back. These humans had shown him the most kindness ever before he met them. Or others might have wanted to show it to him, he just wouldn’t let them. But these guys he had made an exception with. 

But going back meant also chancing going to jail. Fungus had told him by now that he was on the Wanted list and what he was wanted for. But he needed to do this. He needed to let his family know that he missed them and loved them. He had relearned what it was like to be part of a family again and he wanted to reconcile with his sister and nephew. 

Fungus soon did arrive with the news that after he had explained to them that Randall was a different person would his sister allow him to visit. So it was on. 

Randall would go tomorrow. He needed time to say goodbye to his human friends. Fungus understood. Tomorrow it was then.


	12. Chapter 12

Fungus arrived the next night. It was after hours at Monsters, Inc. Travis gave Randall a hug goodbye and wished him luck. 

“I wish I could meet your family.” Travis said. 

“I’ll be back soon, Kid.” Randall said and he followed Fungus back through the door. 

Travis couldn’t help but be curious and he opened the closet door and it had been deactivated now and it was normal. Randall was gone. Travis wished him well.   
…………….

“I see you had developed a strong bond with that kid.” Fungus said. 

“Yeah. He had kind of adopted me not just his best friend, but like a second big brother of sorts too, since his real older brother is going to be a new father soon.” Randall said. 

Randall saw that the door was in a private area of the factory. It felt good to be able to see the images of the factory for the first time again without having to squint. 

Fungus noticed he wasn’t squinting. “Your eyes seem different, Randall. You aren’t squinting so much.” 

“Jesse fixed my vision. I can see perfect now.” 

“Oh. That was nice of him.” Fungus said. 

“Jesse’s helped me out in the worst of times in the human world, besides taking me in and sheltering me, he also helped me whenever I’ve been injured. But enough of that, let’s get going. Remember, I’m right here.” Randall said and he then disappeared. He knew he couldn’t let any cameras see him. 

Fungus led the way out of the building to his car. He got in and the other car door opened up and then Randall reappeared. They both buckled up and Fungus drove to the place where Randall’s sister said she and her son would meet her brother. 

When they got to the address, Randall didn’t recognize this building. “This is where they live now. She had moved while you were gone.” Fungus said. 

“Alright.” 

They got out and Randall vanished again. He didn’t want to take any chances of anyone seeing him. He followed his friend to the apartment. 

Fungus knocked on the door and a pinkish female lizard answered it. “Hello, Fungus. So is he here with you?” She asked. 

“Yes, he just doesn’t want anyone to see him before he gets in.” 

“Ok. Come in.” 

Fungus went in and Randall followed. The female closed her door. 

“So, where is he?” She asked. 

“How’s it going, Sis?” Randall appeared with a big smile. 

Amanda, his sister, couldn’t believe her eyes. He seemed different, but looked nearly the same. 

They just instantly embraced. But after that, Amanda pushed away from him. “How could you be involved in all that?!” 

“I thought I was helping out my boss and the city. But I know better now. I know human kids aren’t that bad.” Randall said. 

Amanda was still mad at him. “You are going to have to earn back our trust.” 

“I’ll do anything, Amanda. Where’s Rex?” 

“He’s in his room playing.” Then she had a more thorough look down Randall’s body and she saw the fresh scars on his body. 

“What happened to you?” She asked, worried. 

“Some human men tortured me. Nearly did me in. But other humans helped me.” Randall said simply. 

She knew humans were bad to begin with, that they couldn’t be trusted. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s in the past. Let’s move forward, Sis. It’s time for us to start over.” He said. 

“Yeah, you’re right. Hold on. Rex! Your Uncle Randall is here!” Amanda called out. 

Randall didn’t know what to expect with his little nephew. 

There was a door sound and then footsteps. A little orange lizard appeared from the hallway. He had green eyes and one frond. And the same number of arms and legs. 

Randall saw the young lizard boy was nearly half his size now. He had grown. 

“Hey there, Rex.” Randall greeted nervously, but warmly. 

Rex almost didn’t know what to make of this strange male in his home. He was familiar with Fungus, who was just there to let them work things out. 

“Should I go? Let you guys work this out?” Fungus asked. 

“Yeah, I need to catch up with Amanda and Rex.” Randall said. 

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” Fungus said and left. 

“Thanks for your help.” Amanda said. 

They turned back to Rex. “Come say hi, Rex.” Amanda said. 

Rex nervously walked up, but stood by his mother. 

“I know it’s been a long time, Rex. And I know I wasn’t real nice before, but I have changed and am ready to be family again, if you’ll let me.” Randall said gently and he got down to his nephew’s height. 

Rex was still a little uneasy. But he saw the sincere look on his face. “Uncle Randy?” He finally said. 

“Yeah. That’s me.” Randall said playfully. He didn’t normally like people to call him that, but he would make an exception for Rex. 

Rex finally did come forward and hugged his uncle. Randall gladly returned it. He was just happy he was reconnecting with his small family. 

“So what were you up to before?” Randall asked. 

“I was just playing with my toys in my room. Wanna see?” Rex asked. 

“Sure.” 

Amanda was surprised that her brother was ever curious to want to play with her son. He never had wanted to before. 

Randall followed Rex to his room and the little lizard began playing with his monster toys. Randall sat down on the floor and waited for Rex to invite him to play with him. He had done it with Travis. 

Amanda watched her brother carefully from the hall. She wasn’t going to put up with him giving them crap a second time. 

Shortly, Rex did ask his uncle to play with him. 

Randall put on a little puppet show for him. He used his tail to hold a toy and would make the little blue toy talk and play and tell jokes. It made Rex laugh so much. 

It made Amanda smile too. There was something that had brought on these changes in her brother that she had never seen before, at least not with her son. They certainly had much catching up to do. 

Soon, Randall had to call it quits when something in his stomach pulled. “Um, Uncle Randy needs to take a break now. You go on playing.” He said. 

Amanda saw him holding his stomach. “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh, just something from the still healing internal injury in here.” He said. 

“Well, do you want anything to eat?” 

“No. I’ve had my dinner. Thanks though.” Randall said. 

“You know what? I’m proud of you, for just being able to play with him.” Amanda said. 

“Let’s just say I’ve been getting to know kids, especially young boys.” 

“Where are you staying, Randall?” 

Randall knew this would be hard to reveal. 

Amanda saw her brother was hesitant about something. 

“I can’t say right now. A secret place. Fungus knows, but I just can’t reveal it right now.” Randall said. 

“If it’s some place bad, you could stay here with me if you need to.” 

“No. Thanks. It’s not a bad place. But I’ll take you up on it for tonight. I need to go back tomorrow night. And when I visit in the future, but I still have to be careful being in town as the cops are still sure to be after me even after these three years.” 

“Yeah, I know. Can you tell me the phone number?” 

“No. If you want to reach me, you’ll need to send the message to Fungus. He’ll make sure I get it. But I will let you know if I can come back soon.” Randall said. 

Amanda didn’t like that Randall had to stay in some secret location just because of what he had done. But yes, she too feared him going to jail now that she had seen a new side of him. He wasn’t that same old, grouchy male she had known over three years ago. But if he got mad, he would turn back into him, she was sure. 

Soon, it was time for bed for Rex and both siblings tucked him into bed. Then they went out and talked some more before deciding to turn in too. Randall was given the couch. 

It was nice to be seeing his family again. As he laid there, he couldn’t help but wonder if he could handle a family of his own. If he showed this kind of patience tonight and kept it up, he might be able to tolerate kids of his own, but given his past history, what girl would even consider being with him? 

Right now, Randall was caught in a warp, needing to choose between living here with his family, or his human friends. But he had promised Travis that he would return. He was going to keep his word. He soon drifted off.


	13. Chapter 13

In the morning, before they were to be off, Amanda fixed Randall some pancakes and toast. Rex loved it too. 

Then after that, Amanda took Rex to school. At seven years old now, he was there. 

Randall worried about what his nephew faced at school. He hoped he had more friends than enemies. Amanda had said that some of the class did pick on him because of what he had: what he had in common with Randall, blending up out of control at his age. 

Fungus wouldn’t be by until later. Randall just rested and watched TV for awhile. It was boring here without anyone around. But then, he had lived like that for so many years before his human family came along when he was banished. 

He almost wondered if he saw Sullivan or Wazowski, would they turn him in? He knew Mike would have wanted to in a heartbeat. Sullivan might be more understanding why he was here. 

Randall finally couldn’t take it anymore. He left his sister a note in case he didn’t see her again before he left, and then he made his way on a bus back to the building. He had to see his ex-coworker. He made himself disappear until he tracked him down. 

Sometimes he found a empty space so he could reappear and then disappear again. 

Soon, he tracked Sulley down on Laugh Floor A. He was watching over the laughers and the little check pad in his hands. 

Sulley looked a lot more serious, but did smile at everyone. Telling them they were all doing good jobs. 

Randall observed and all that he saw, from his changed ways, perhaps he could become a laugher monster too. But it would need to be fixed up first and he not deemed a criminal anymore. Though it would always remain in his past. 

When Sulley left the floor, Randall followed. He stayed clear of other monsters. 

Sulley paused to get a drink of coffee. Randall liked that idea too, but it would have to wait. 

Invisibly, he snuck up on Sulley and tapped him with his tail on the back. 

Sulley turned around and saw no one there. He felt another tap and again, nobody there. There was only one other person he knew who could do this. 

Then a face he hadn’t seen in a long time appeared. “Hello, Sullivan.” 

“Whoa!” Sulley screamed in surprise, making him drop his cup and coffee everywhere. He fell over and looked up. 

Randall was on the ceiling, but he jumped down and appeared to him. 

“Randall? What are you doing here?” Sulley had a scared look. 

“Sullivan, I didn’t mean any harm, not that that wasn’t funny. But I came here to make amends again, but more so, I’m here this time because I need permission to be able to see my family whenever I need to. I have seen them, but I need to be in their lives too. And I need to be able to come and go so I’m asking that you don’t turn me in. I’m done with those old evil ways, I promise.” Randall explained. 

“And why should I believe you?” 

“I’ve been living with humans for the last three years. Even a human boy who just lost his parents. You could ask him and he would say I’m his best friend. And his older brother even fixed my vision so I don’t have eye problems anymore. I’m grateful for all that they did for me, and with his wife having a child on the way, I just feel lonely for my family too. They had their doubts, but we worked them out last night. Please allow me to do this, Sullivan. Please don’t turn me in.” 

Sulley saw that the reptile monster had a pleading look in his eyes. And his eyes were wide open for once. He was speaking gently to him and asking him to allow him to see his family. He also glanced at his body out of curiosity and he saw the various scars on him. 

“How long are you staying?” 

“I need to go back tonight. And I gave my friends my word that I’d come back. Travis needs me.” Randall said. 

Sulley figured that was the boy’s name. 

“Alright. But I’m going to be there when you leave.” Sulley said. 

“Thanks.” 

“Now as I notice something different in your demeanor, what happened to you? Those look new.” Sulley meant the scars. 

Randall glanced down and the ones on his neck and stomach stuck out the most. Plus the whip marks. 

“Long story short, some idiot human kidnapped me over there and he tortured me. If I were my old self, he wouldn’t have been able to do this to me. But then, I wouldn’t have stayed with humans, period. Travis was miserable without me.” 

“How old is this boy?” 

“Nine.” 

“So you have gained some experience with a kid.” 

“It did run through my mind that I could become one of the laughers now that I have experienced making a kid happy. But I know it’s far less likely because I have seen that I am on the Wanted List. But please, Sullivan, promise you won’t turn me in?” 

Sulley could see a big change in Randall Boggs. He didn’t seem to be the same conniving lizard he once knew. He was a more caring, responsible individual now. He saw that it could get to be lonely over there for family, since he had been alone in the human world for so long. 

“Alright. I promise, Randall. You can come and go as you please, but you must promise first off that you will never turn to those ways again.” 

“It’s a downright promise.” 

“I might be able to get you in the clear with the CDA. But you would also have to prove that you could be a rightful citizen again.” 

“Someday. But you would have to clarify it with me first before I can face them. I don’t want to have to hide just to visit my family and if I was in jail, Amanda won’t visit me and Travis would be sad in his world without me. I can’t go to jail, Sullivan.” 

Sulley saw that Randall had almost the most sad look in his eyes. He knew he was telling the truth. Right now, it was a big risk for him to even be seen here, let alone talking to him. 

“I promise I will tell you about it on a visit, but you know it would take a few days to get it all sorted out. Given how fast trials come on here for the convicted.” 

“Well, it can’t be this time. I need to get back after closing time. Fungus will be waiting for me.” 

“Like I said, I’m coming with you just to see you off.” 

“Fine.” 

“You know where the office is. There’s still some time before closing time. Why don’t you go wait in there.” 

“Sure.” Randall said and then vanished. 

“Randall?” Sulley said. He got no reply and knew he was gone. For now, Sulley would keep his promise. He then went to track down Fungus. 

Randall went to the office. 

Soon, Sulley and Fungus came into the room. Randall had vanished the minute the door opened to just be safe, but reappeared when he saw who it was. 

“It won’t be long now before we close. I have some last errands to do and then I’ll be back.” Sulley said, then left. 

“What are you doing here, Randall? You’re lucky he didn’t turn you in when he saw you.” Fungus said. 

“I had to see him. I can now come and go as I please here. He’s going to have a station set up secretly.” 

“Like ours?”

“Yeah, he might let it remain as it is. But he just wants to be there when I leave.” 

“Just be careful, Randall. Sullivan was still your enemy.” Fungus warned. 

“I know it’s a risk. But I had to try something.” 

Soon the bell sounded and they knew that work was over with. Everyone would be going home now. But it would take at least half an hour to make sure everyone was really gone. 

Randall and Fungus just remained in some seats. 

Randall was sitting in Sulley’s chair. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be the CEO of the company. He had a serious enough mind for it. If he ever had to come back here and live again, he would need a job. 

Sullivan returned twenty minutes after the bell blew. He had made sure that the others were leaving and that even his best friend was gone. Then Fungus and Randall led him to where their secret station was. 

“Well, I’m heading off now.” Randall said. 

“See ya soon.” Fungus said. Then he realized something. “What about Amanda?” 

“I left her a note that I’ll be back soon.” Randall said. “She was curious about where I was staying, but I couldn’t tell her and if she had a message for me, I told her to tell you and you would give it to me.” 

“Of course.” 

Sulley saw that Randall was not even yelling at Fungus either. 

“Well, goodbye for now.” Randall said and the door was activated. He went through and closed it. Fungus deactivated it. 

Sulley had seen that things were very different now. But he would have to consult the CDA at some point. For now, he would wait. He and Fungus both went home after.


	14. Chapter 14

When Randall got back in the door, he saw that it was nearly morning in Travis’s room. The boy was sleeping soundly. He didn’t want to wake him. He knew he would have missed him, but he wasn’t going to disturb him. 

Randall now climbed into his bed on the bottom and managed to go to sleep too. He was glad to be back.   
……………..

The alarm soon blared, waking Travis up for school preparation. He climbed down from his bed and he had checked the lower bed yesterday with nothing there, but this morning, he got a nice surprise. Randall was back! 

“Randall!” He shouted happily. 

It startled the lizard so much that he bumped his head on the top bunk. He held his head. Then he saw the boy in front of him. 

“You don’t have to do that.” Randall said. 

“Sorry. I’m just glad you’re back! It was so lonely here without you.” Travis said. Then he hugged the lizard. 

Randall hugged back. “Yeah, I missed you too.” He said. 

When Travis let go, he asked, “So did you see your family?” 

“Yeah. They seem to be doing fine. They had their doubts about me, but they saw I was different after living here for so long. And I did talk to my ex-coworker and he said he wouldn’t turn me in to the CDA. At least not right away, but someday, I will have to face them if I continue to go there, that I’m not a threat to anyone.” Randall said. “Or I don’t want to be.” 

“That’s good. Let’s go have breakfast.” Travis said. 

“Sounds good.” 

The two of them went out to the kitchen and Jesse and Rowan weren’t too surprised that Randall was back, but glad he was. The family had breakfast together before morning chores feeding the animals was done.   
……………

Unbeknown to them, Bill had come back looking for the lizard he had tortured some few months ago. 

That morning, he saw through his binoculars that the lizard was back to helping the young boy with chores again and he wasn’t covered in bandages. 

He had a plan. He had to get the lizard to do what he said or he was going to be a trophy in his house. Using the boy might be just perfect to lure him in.

He saw Travis get on the bus. The lizard was obviously back in the house now. He had seen them go back in together. If he had it his way again, the lizard belonged outside, not in their house. But he would get the lizard again soon.   
………………

Back in the monster world, at Monsters, Inc, Roz was doing a viewing on security footage in the building and at one point, she saw Sullivan get some coffee and then he fell down. But then, she saw what she thought she would never see again: Randall Boggs talking to him. 

She saw that he talked to Sullivan, but did nothing to harm him, but if Sullivan was harboring him, he could be in trouble. 

As head of the CDA, she had to investigate what was going on and get Randall into custody for what he had done. 

Sulley was on Floor F having talked to Mike about his job well done when Roz came onto the floor. 

“Mr. Sullivan, I have to speak to you right now.” She said. 

Sulley wondered what she had to say. Mike looked at him, concerned. Sulley shrugged and followed the slug woman. 

They went to the security footage room and she showed him. “What was this about, Mr. Sullivan? You were talking to a fugitive.” She said. 

“Roz, Randall hasn’t been around for a long time. He came here asking if he could be allowed to see his family. He misses them. He never tried to harm me. He just wanted to talk.” 

“Is that so? But if he comes back, he must still answer to the crimes that he’s done.” Roz said. 

“I know. But he’s changed. I saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice. Couldn’t you go a little easier on him?” 

“That depends on how I see fit.” Roz said. “But you are not to help him again or you could end up in trouble too. Is that understood?” 

“Yes, Ma’am.” Sulley said. 

Sulley had promised Randall he could come and go as he pleased, but he didn’t need to be in trouble too. If he saw him again, he would have to warn him.   
……………..

The family was glad to have Randall back, but when he had talked to the CEO of the company, he said it was fine to come and go as he pleased. Randall wanted to see his family weekly. 

Fungus didn’t come as much now, but at least once a week he would come. This went on for two weeks. 

And when Randall went, he made sure to stay invisible. Amanda and Rex were always happy to see him. 

But soon, Sulley confronted Fungus and he needed to relay to Randall that the CDA knew he had been here. 

The next time Randall came through, Fungus did tell him that he could be in hot stew if he was caught being here. 

Randall growled. Had Sullivan turned him in when he said he wouldn’t? 

“Now, now, sir, it wasn’t his fault. Roz cornered him and made him say why you were there talking to him. You were seen on footage.” Fungus said. 

Randall knew it was a risk facing the CDA. Of going to jail. He was still invisible and went to see his sister and nephew anyway. He stayed clear of Sullivan this time. He was in no mood to deal with him.   
…………….

Back in the human world, Bill was ready to fulfill his plan. He and his friends were ready to have the lizard again. 

The friends waited in the barn again. This time, they waited for both boy and lizard to come out. 

This morning, which was a Tuesday, Travis came into the barn to feed the animals, but the men didn’t see the lizard. But it didn’t stop them. 

A net came down on the boy as he was going to the feeding compartment. 

Travis screamed in surprise. “Hey! What is this? What’s going on?” 

“Hello there, little boy. We have been watching you and your family for some time. And we know you have a purple lizard that we want real bad.” Bill said. 

“You can’t have him! He’s my friend!” 

“Now, now. I can offer you a decent price for him and your family can go on living their lives just as you are. I can give him a real place to live and have a life. But I need you to help ensure that the lizard cooperates, as he does seem to mind you.” 

“He is my friend. He’s not mine to keep. He does as he wishes.” Travis said. 

“Where is he this morning?” Bill demanded while Gus and Gary held the boy down. 

“He’s not here!” 

“I see that, but where can I find him?” 

“Nowhere!” 

“Just tell me where he is, Kid, and we can end this pointless strife.” 

“I don’t know. He’s away.” 

“That’s it. Take him!” 

“Let me go!” Travis screamed. Then his mouth was covered. He was taken to the truck where the net was taken off and he was gagged and tied. He was going to be used as a ransom for the lizard. 

Bill left a ransom note in the barn. 

…………….

Later, the school called the house and asked if Travis was sick and Rowan said no. But he had never shown up. 

That was weird. He never played hooky. 

Rowan went to check around outside and she found the note in the barn. This was trouble. She called Jesse immediately. 

Jesse came home when he heard his little brother was gone, kidnapped. 

He read the note. The kidnappers were ransoming his brother for Randall. This made him so mad. And he knew Randall would be mad too. He better return soon from his family visit. 

But in the meantime, they had to call the police. There was no reason for this to go on.   
……………..

Bill had Travis tied up in his house now. He wasn’t going to harm him, just hold him. He had given them a phone number to call. But to only call them when they had the lizard. 

“You won’t get away with this!” Travis said angrily. 

“I did once. But when I thought the lizard was going to die, I gave him back to your family so you could bury him. But I saw that he healed and lives. If he’s well again, he can serve me.” Bill said. 

“What is it that you want from him?” 

“That’s my business.” Bill said. 

Bill later called in Carson about if the lizard should appear at the meeting spot when they got the call, then he should be ready for the lizard.


	15. Chapter 15

Jesse was dealing with the police about his brother being kidnapped. 

Rowan waited in Travis’s room for Randall. He had to be back soon. He was wanted in exchange for Travis. Her emotions were not the best right now with the pregnancy. 

It wasn’t until two days later that Randall finally made it back. He had managed to make it back without facing Sullivan or the CDA this time. He had had a few days with Amanda and Rex this time. 

He saw Rowan waiting for him. “Rowan, why are you in here?” 

Rowan had tears running down her face. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“What’s wrong is Travis was kidnapped while you were gone!” She yelled at him. 

“What?! By who?” He demanded. 

“I don’t know, but Jesse knows who he is. Some guy named Bill the note said.” 

“What note?” 

“It said that he wants you in exchange for Travis.” 

Randall couldn’t believe this. He thought he was done with that maniac. He was already having to possibly face the wrath of the CDA soon and now he had to deal with kidnappers here. When did his life get so stressed and crazy? 

“Well, we answer the call then.” Randall declared to her. 

“Jesse has police out there. We are to only call the number they left when you are here.” Rowan said. 

Randall knew he couldn’t be seen by police humans. He went invisible and followed her out. 

Rowan went out and told Jesse that Randall was back. 

Jesse felt relieved, but still upset that Randall had been away this time for so long. He told police they were ready to call the number. 

“So where’s the lizard then?” One cop asked. 

“He’s hiding. He’s shy of strangers.” Jesse said. 

Jesse made the call finally.   
…………..

Bill and his men were tired of dealing with Travis. He was such a menace. How his family put up with him was a miracle, he thought. 

Then the phone rang and Gus picked up. 

“Hello? It’s for you, Bill.” 

“Yes.” Bill put on speaker. 

“Bill, you have my brother. I have what you want. Now where do we meet for the exchange?” Jesse asked. “Don’t hurt my brother.” 

“I never hurt your brother, but he is annoying. Now here’s where we meet.” Bill said. 

He gave the location of their meeting place. 

Randall was listening too. Bill was going to pay for kidnapping his friend. 

The police were ready too to arrest this man and his friends, if any were with him to conspire to kidnap.   
…………….

Randall was visible while he rode with Jesse and Rowan to the exchange place. Police followed, but they would be at a distance. Rowan was coming, but would keep her distance too, with being pregnant. 

Randall would have the best chance at getting in and freeing Travis with his invisibility gift. 

The meeting place was out in the middle of nowhere. 

Travis was tied to a tree standing up right now and gagged. Bill and his men didn’t want to listen to him anymore. The boy was mad that this man would want to harm his friend. 

Soon, they heard a vehicle. Doors slammed and through binoculars, even the lizard was seen. Carson was watching. 

Police had been told to back off and park elsewhere. But they were told to silently move in. 

Rowan stayed by the car. Jesse and Randall went forward for the exchange. 

“Bill! I’m here and I have your ransom demand.” Jesse called out. 

Bill was pleased. He stepped forward. “Be ready.” He told his men. 

Jesse saw the man. “Go get Travis.” He said to Randall. 

“He’s so going to pay for this.” Randall growled and vanished. 

Bill stepped forward. “So where’s my lizard, Shrubner?” 

“Where’s my brother?” Jesse demanded. 

“Back there. Don’t worry. He’s unharmed. But no lizard, no exchange.” Bill said. “Or one of my men could harm your brother. 

‘Find him, Randall.’ Jesse said. “No, don’t harm him.” 

“Then where is he?!” 

“He wandered off.” 

“You better call him back to you.” 

Randall stayed low to the ground and looked for Travis. He got to the location and he saw the men looking around. Then he saw Travis, tied and gagged to a tree. He made his move to go in. 

“Hey, Kid.” He said in a low voice. 

Travis made a happy sound. “Randall!” He had said. 

“Now I’m gonna get you out of here.” Randall said. He went behind the tree and began untying the ropes. 

Travis was so sick of being tied in ropes. He had been in them for three days now. He was mad at Randall for taking so long to come back. Evidently, to him, he had been gone a long time or it wouldn’t have taken this long for them to come rescue him. 

Randall fiddled with the knot and managed to get it undone. He then began to pull the ropes down. When they finally fell, Travis pulled the gag down. 

“It took you a long time to come back.” Travis said. 

“Worry about it later. Now run!” Randall appeared and he and Travis began to make a run for it. 

“Hey! The lizard! He and the boy are escaping!” Gary cried out. 

“Get the lizard!” Bill cried out. “Let the boy go!” 

The two men ran after them. 

“You go, Travis. I’ll take care of them.” Randall said. 

“Be careful.” And Travis kept running the other way. 

Randall vanished again and he ran at the men. Using his tail and his body being low to the ground, he tripped them up. And then whacked them in the heads, making them go unconscious. Then he went after Bill. 

Bill was surprised when he fell over. 

Randall reappeared in front of him. He had a evil grin on his face. 

Travis made it to Jesse’s arms. They went back to the car to let police move in now that they had Travis back. 

“You belong to me, Lizard.” Bill said. 

“I don’t belong to anyone. I’m going to make you suffer for what you did to me and that boy.” Randall growled. 

“I did nothing to that boy. Just held him.” 

“Doesn’t matter. You still kidnapped him and I will NEVER obey you! You will not have me again!” Randall snarled at Bill. He began advancing on him with his teeth bared.

Then, out of nowhere, an arrow came and pierced Randall in the right side, just above his second set of arms. 

Randall was shocked at the pain. He cried out and looked down and saw the arrow sticking out of his side. Then he fell to the ground. 

Bill got up and gave Carson the thumbs up. He loomed over his prize. 

“Randall!” Travis screamed. 

Jesse saw it and that did it. He charged and he attacked Bill. They fell to the ground, tussling. 

Carson came down from the tree. 

Travis got away from Rowan and he ran over to Randall. 

“Get away from the lizard, boy.” Carson demanded. 

“You did this! Never!” Travis said. 

Rowan came up. “Leave him alone!” She demanded. 

“I’m afraid that lizard is Bill’s trophy now.” 

“No, he’s not!” Travis screamed. 

Then, Carson was suddenly knocked down by an invisible force and he held his throat. Though there was an arrow in the air too. 

It didn’t take long and Carson’s neck was broken. 

Randall reappeared. 

“Randall!” Travis cried and ran up and hugged his friend. 

“Nice to see you too.” He said. 

“Are you alright?” Rowan asked. 

“Aside from this, yes.” Randall gestured to the arrow in his side. But then, he went unconscious. Rowan caught him. 

“Randall!” Travis screamed. 

Both Rowan and Travis tried to get Randall to wake up. 

Jesse was still tussling with Bill when the police came in and took over. They arrested Bill and Gus and Gary. 

Jesse went over and saw Randall unconscious. “We need to get him home right now.” He said. 

Randall was picked up and carried to the car. They tried to keep him hidden from the police by covering him up with a jacket. 

Carson was found dead. 

While police took care of the living men, Jesse rushed Randall back home. He was still breathing, but labored. The arrow needed to come out and see what was damaged.

Some of the police had seen the big purple lizard that Jesse and Rowan carried to the car. After what had happened, there were concerns if the lizard was dangerous. 

Rowan rode in the back with Randall, trying to get him to wake up. Travis wanted to ride in the back too, but they needed the space. 

They got home and went and got the medical emergency stretcher for Randall and put him onto it. Jesse and Rowan carried him back to the infirmary. Travis was told to wait out in the living room. This was adult business. 

Rowan wet a cloth and rubbed Randall’s face with it. It did help him come to. 

He instantly winced. “It hurts!” His voice was whispery. 

“I know it would. We got you home, but now, I need to get this arrow out of your side.” Jesse said. 

“Do what you have to.” Randall said, grimacing at the pain. He felt like he was having a hard time breathing. 

“This will be better if you are asleep for this.” Jesse said, but before he could proceed, the doorbell rang. Why were there always interruptions? 

Jesse went and got it. Rowan stayed and still soaked his face gently. 

Randall’s hand was on the arrow. It was hurting him big time. 

At the door, it was the sheriff. 

“What can I do for you, Sheriff?” Jesse asked. 

“I saw your lizard and what he did. Do you have a cage at all to keep him contained? It’s obvious he’s dangerous.” 

“Sheriff, he’s got an arrow in his side right now. I really need to get back to him. He could be dying and you’re telling me this? I have a cage in the infirmary, but not until after the surgery I need to give him.” Jesse said. 

“Alright, but this is just a warning. Keep it caged up.” The Sheriff said. 

“I will.” Jesse lied. 

Jesse then hurried back to the infirmary. He prepared anesthesia for his friend. He injected it under the skin and it wasn’t long till he was out. Then they got to work. He got a tube down into Randall’s lungs before he began. 

Jesse had to cut deep into Randall’s side to get the arrow out. Plus he had to know if it had caught anything. 

From what he found, it had barely grazed his right lung and some of his liver. This was going to be another stressful evening for the rest of them. 

Jesse repaired the damages and once all sewn up, the wounds were wrapped up. He had a tube coming out of the side to make sure that Randall’s lung was going to be alright.

He also put his friend on an IV and would let him wake up. The bandages covered Randall below and above his second pair of arms. 

Randall was placed on the floor so he could wake up in peace. 

Travis was allowed to come in afterwards to see him. He felt so bad that Randall was hurt again, but this time, it was because he had had to rescue him from those stupid men. 

Travis had asked them at one point when he was with them why they wanted Randall. It was simple. Bill wanted the lizard to serve him, have him as a live prize, or if he didn’t serve him, he would end up a dead trophy to display. 

Being shot with the arrow had narrowly come down to nearly costing Randall his life. But he had done it for saving Travis and the family. 

Travis didn’t want to leave Randall’s side. He would sometimes pet the smooth scales in hopes it would start to wake him up. 

At one point, even Rowan got on the floor and sang a healing song for him again. Jesse would have to help her get up off the floor though at this stage in her pregnancy. 

Within a few hours, Randall began to wake up. He could make out his friends above him. He moaned. 

“Randall? Can you hear me?” Jesse said. 

“Hm-mm.” Randall moaned again. But it was a yes. 

“What- happened?” He said weakly. 

“You were helping us against some kidnappers and you were shot with an arrow.” Jesse said. “Your right lung and some of your liver was pierced, but it’s all fixed now.” 

Randall hated being incapacitated. He was hurt again, and by the same man. But this time, he didn’t have so many injuries. 

“What happened… after?” 

“One of the men was dead, and Bill and two other men were taken off to jail.” Jesse said. 

Randall vaguely remembered killing one of them. 

“The Sheriff also came by and he said he wants you caged up. Yes, he saw you.” 

“That’s like putting him in prison.” Rowan said. 

“I don’t… want to be… caged.” 

“I know you don’t. So you might have to limit your time outside.” Jesse said. “And you won’t be doing chores either with that injury for a little while.” 

“Do you know if the police are going to be watching us?” Rowan asked. 

Travis hoped not. Apparently, that was how Bill had seen Randall. 

“It they are, then it might be time for me to go and live back in my world again. I am not going to live in a cage, Jesse.” Randall said. 

“But if you go back, you might be caged anyway, in prison for the bad things you did.” 

“It might be different now.” Randall said. 

“You might have to visit again to find out.” Jesse said. 

The lizard nodded. 

Randall was later moved back to the bedroom with Travis. For right now, except for bathroom runs, he was to stay in bed and rest. 

Travis was glad his friend was going to be okay, but he was sad that if he had to go back to the monster world for good, that he would be so sad. But it would only be for his own safety. 

Randall knew that perhaps facing prison in his own world would be better than having to face anymore humans that would want to have him caged for the rest of his life. Or worse, do experiments on him just to find out what he was. Because he wasn’t like any kind of lizard in their world. Sure, there were some similarities, but none of the lizards were like him entirely.


	16. Chapter 16

Randall went on sleeping for four days. He needed to get his strength back. 

On the fifth day, Jesse took the tube out of his side to see that the lung was functioning on its own. But Randall would still need to take it easy. 

Fungus came by two days later to have a laugh from Travis and see Randall again. Then he saw the bandages on Randall’s middle and asked what happened when he got up to talk to him. 

“Travis was kidnapped and the guy who did it wanted me in return. I was shot with an arrow. It nearly killed me.” 

“He saved my life.” Travis said. “And my family’s.” 

Fungus was amazed. Randall was not the same monster he was three years ago when he tried to kill Sullivan and kidnap that little girl. 

“But what’s the verdict back home, Fungus?” Randall asked. 

“The CDA is looking for you, Randall.” 

Randall sighed. He knew this wasn’t good. 

But if Randall returned in his current condition, maybe they would take it easier on him. 

“I might have an idea on how they might go easier on me. They would plan a trial for me anyway.” Randall said. 

Fungus was all ears. Yeah, they were planning a trial, but first, Randall had to be found. 

It was sadly decided that they would leave tonight. Randall gave Travis a hug goodbye. He would always come back and visit. He would stay with Fungus for the time being. 

Under the building’s lights, Fungus did notice that Randall’s breathing was heavier. 

“What damage was done to you, Sir? Your breathing seems strained.” 

“My right lung and some of my liver was pierced. Jesse said he repaired it though.” 

“I know the human meant well, but maybe you should see one of our doctors too?” 

“Yeah. I should.” 

Fungus knew where there was a walk in clinic and he took Randall there. 

After a few other patients were in line first, Fungus and Randall were finally called back. 

“So, what’s your name?” The doc asked. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard of me in a not so nice way. But I’m not the same person I was. I’m Randall Boggs.” 

“Please, Dr. Grayson. You have to help him. He’s my friend.” Fungus said. 

“For you then, Jeffrey.” The big gray monster said. 

He then turned to Randall. He took the bandages off and saw the injury. 

“What happened?” 

Randall winced as he was forced to take a deep breath. “Shot with an arrow in the human world. Pierced lung and liver.” He said simply. 

“You’ve been in the human world? How long for this to happen?” 

“Three years. Stuck there.” 

“How long ago did this happen?” 

“Five days ago.” 

“This is going to require an x-ray.” 

Some x-rays were taken and the repairs were seen in the pictures, but still it was seen. 

“It looks like some repairs were already made on the organs. Whoever did it seems to have done well. I know it seems bad with the heavy breathing, but the lung will take some time to heal. For the time being, not a good idea to do anything that is heavy exertion.” Dr. Grayson said. “At least six to eight weeks of rest should do it.”

The wound was bound back up again. Then Randall and Fungus left the clinic. Fungus had just wanted to make sure his friend was alright. Then they went home to his place for the night.   
…………….

Randall spent some of the weekend with Fungus and another half with his sister and nephew. 

Amanda was shocked this had even happened. But she was furious when she finally found out where Randall had been all this time: the human world. 

“Humans are not toxic as we have had that drilled into our heads all our lives.” Randall said. “It’s not true. If it was, I would have been dead a long time ago.” 

She knew there would be a trial coming up for him upon his return and she would gladly be there for it. She just said to let her know when it would be. 

He said he would, or Fungus would let her know. Then he went back to his friend’s house. 

On Monday, with extreme care, they got into the Monsters, Inc building. They went to see Sulley. 

First thing in the mornings, Sulley would go to report into his office. 

“Hello, Sullivan.” Randall said when he saw him. 

Sulley turned around, almost in a panic. His eyes widened when he saw how the lizard looked. Fungus was behind him. 

“Oh, uh, hi Randall. I didn’t see you. What happened?” 

“An incident in the human world. But let’s get down to things. I know that the CDA is looking for me. I’m ready to deal with them. But the one condition is they have to give me some slack with this injury. I had a pierced lung and any heavy exertion is not good for me right now.” Randall explained. 

“Amanda and Fungus said they would back me up in the trial. What about you? I’m not the same monster as I was those few years ago.” 

“I can get it arranged with Roz. She’s ready to have it over with too.” Sulley said. 

“Okay, but why Roz?” 

“She’s the head of the CDA.” 

Randall didn’t know that. “Okay.” He said. “Well, until then, I’ll be staying in between my sister or Fungus’s homes.” 

“Alright, take care, Randall.” 

Fungus was now clear to go do his job and Randall would be on his way out to go back to the apartment. But on his way out, he ran into Mike. 

Mike was knocked over and Randall was nearly pushed over, but just pushed back. He cried out and held the injury. He growled at that. He looked down and saw the little green one eye ball of a monster. 

“Wazowski.” 

Mike looked up and saw the purple lizard. “Randall!” 

“Nice to see you too, but take it easy.” 

“Randall! What are you doing here?” Mike demanded, and he did see the bandages on Randall’s middle, but didn’t ask. 

“I had to… talk to Sullivan.” Randall cringed. 

To Mike, this was the first time he was seeing the lizard monster in over three years and he saw many scars on him than he had ever seen on him before. 

“You harm him and you are busted, Mister!” Mike snapped at Randall. 

“Why would I have need to harm him? I can’t do anything hardly with this injury. And I just needed to tell him something. No harm intended. I’m on my way out anyway.” Randall said. 

Randall moved on past Mike. Mike was glaring after him. 

Mike went into the office. “What did Randall want?” 

“He said he’s ready to deal with the CDA. He’s ready for his trial, whatever it brings. But he’s not the same as he was before we banished him, Mike.” Sulley said. 

“You can say you believe him when he says that?” 

“I’ve seen it on his face and heard it in his voice, Mike. Living out there did change him.” 

“What happened to him anyway?” 

“He said something about a pierced lung.” 

Mike knew that wouldn’t be a good thing for anyone. But it was so hard for him to feel sorry for the lizard after all he had done in the past.   
…………….

Randall was on his way out the back of the building when he was suddenly spotted. 

“Randall Boggs is back! Sound the alarm!” A skinny green female monster cried out. 

It startled him so much, it made his breathing pick up. What to do? 

He literally didn’t want to be caught. Panic overshadowed his thoughts and he began to run. The alarms started blaring. 

The CDA was alerted and they began to head after Randall in the directions they were told he went. 

Fungus heard and he took off. He knew his friend might run or confront them. He had to find him. 

Randall made it to the back of the building and charged out the door. He ran to a back alley and he felt like his vision was going to black out on him as the lung was stressed. He was breathing hard and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

He sat down trying to steady his breathing. His side hurt. He held it. Maybe he had come back for this too soon. He was in no shape for running. 

He might have vanished had it not been for the bandages he was wearing. They would have given him away. 

It took awhile to steady his breathing. He saw CDA agents running past the alley he was in. He knew he was in trouble. He had to get to his sister’s or Fungus’s place. 

Once he had his breathing more even, he went to the alley exit and saw some clothes down the street. He was going to have to disguise himself. But for the moment, he did change his colors so he wouldn’t look like himself. 

There were a few other reptilians here in Monstropolis and he just had to make himself look like another one of them. He made it to a bus station and went to his sister’s. He knew she was at work and Rex was at school, but he knew where there was a spare key so that he could at least get in to her apartment. 

He soon got there and got in. He was just barely lucky to have escaped getting arrested. He was willing to face a trial, but he didn’t want to be in jail awaiting it. 

At the end of the day, Amanda and Rex came home and found him asleep on their couch. 

Rex went over and woke him up with a big hug, but was careful of the injury. 

Randall was glad they were home and told them what happened. 

“I’ll keep an eye out and tell if I hear anything about the trial.” She said. “Here, let’s have a look at that wound.” 

Randall went with his sister to the bathroom and she took the bandages off. There were a good couple of stitched wounds in his side and front. Amanda made sure they weren’t bleeding. She applied some fresh dressings. 

“Until we know anything, you should avoid going to the factory.” Amanda said. “You can’t be running with that lung.” 

“I know.” 

Fungus soon showed up and wondered if Randall had made his way here. 

"Are you alright, Randall?” He asked. 

“I’ll live, but I was nearly caught.” 

“They are still looking for you. The city is on high alert.” 

“Great. Maybe living with the humans is better.” He said. 

They turned on the news and it was the first news bulletin that played. Randall hated this. He wasn’t that person anymore. He was not a killer, at least he wasn’t here. Though he knew he had killed some humans in the battles he had faced in the last few years and recently. But they were bad ones threatening his human friends. And it seemed like each time he paid a price for it as well. 

They knew this was going to be a tough time until a trial was established.   
……………

Amanda and Fungus both talked to Sullivan and Roz about a trial getting done and they told her Randall was willing to comply to it, but he just needed to be free until then. And their word to her was that it was promised he had changed and was not dangerous to their society. 

Roz could be patient or an impatient type of old woman. She listened. 

“A trial shall happen in three days for him and he better behave as he said he can.” Roz said. 

“He will behave.” Amanda said. “He’s been doing great even with my son.” 

“Just be there.” Roz said. 

“Yes, Ma’am.” 

Amanda told Randall of the trial and what time. 

Randall was ready to have himself established as a member of his old hometown again and not as a criminal.


	17. Chapter 17

The day of the trial, Randall was nervous. He knew there would be so many people who would have their doubts about him. 

There had been so little time to call a lawyer. But one had been called. A big brown weird shaped and almost fish like monster was his lawyer. He had two arms and two legs. No tail. He had four eyes. He was strictly business. He was a friend of Sullivan’s. His name was Mr. Vince Preston. 

Randall had told him his whole story of what happened, both in the problem with the scream extractor, Waternoose, his banishment, his time with the humans, and what happened to how he sustained this injury, though he left out that he had killed some humans. But it was agreed that he couldn’t tell anything of his human friends. 

Sullivan, Amanda, and Fungus were all behind Randall’s innocence. But it wouldn’t be enough. Rex was in school, but Mike and Celia had volunteered to watch him after school should the trial not be finished by then. 

Randall saw a jury, but there weren’t many witnesses there like in a full trial. And though the three that believed he was reformed were there with him, he wished his human friends could have been there. They would also back up his story. 

The judge was a big black monster with small dragon type wings. A female. Judge Grendal. Four arms and two legs with a dragon type tail, with spikes. 

Randall and Vince took the defendant’s table while the three witnesses took the spots behind the barrier. 

The judge could see the bandages around Randall’s middle. And how he looked so nervous. Most of her defendants were afraid of her. 

“How does the defendant plead?” Grendal stated. 

“Not guilty, Your Honor.” Vince said. 

The jury also had their doubts about the male lizard. After all that he had done. 

All of the witnesses were called and questioned. 

Sure, there were some bad things said about what happened in the past, but they all brought forth his newest and nicer qualities that had appeared. 

When Randall was questioned, he said he deeply regretted all his actions of the past. But he was working on making himself better. He said that what happened in the past was all based on what Waternoose had promised him and that he had been threatened by him if he hadn‘t built the machine. But Randall did say that he had gone to some place that had helped him see the light again. 

But again, he never mentioned the humans. The injury explanation was one of that he had fell down a steep gulley and injured himself. 

The judge and the jury was seeing how Randall’s explanations seemed sincere and sorry. 

There was a recess called for lunch and then things would be decided after lunch. The case would resume in two hours. 

They were all glad for the break.   
……………

It was all nerve wracking to try to eat lunch, especially for Randall. His stomach was jumping all over the place. He didn’t want to go to jail. If he did go, Fungus would have to explain to Travis what happened. 

When everyone reconvened from the lunch break, Judge Grendal now asked if the jury had a verdict. 

“We do.” 

The jury was full of orange, red, and blue and pink monsters. Mix of men and women. 

An envelope was passed down to the guard and to the judge and then given back. 

“How does the jury find the defendant, Randall Boggs?” Judge Grendal asked. 

Randall and Vince were standing. Randall’s breathing picked up. His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. 

Vince noticed and he put a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. It’s not good for that lung.” 

Randall nodded. He tried to take some deeper, slower breaths. 

The head jury, a blue and orange male with fish like looks, and stringy arms, said, “We find Randall Boggs, guilty of his past crimes.” 

Randall closed his eyes sadly. 

They all saw his reaction. He definitely was showing deep remorse. 

“But in light of his latest actions from showing signs that he‘s reformed, and showing that he is not the monster he was three years ago, not guilty.” 

Randall opened his eyes. It was a surprise. 

Then Judge Grendal spoke. “I sentence you, Randall Boggs-” 

Randall and his friends waited patiently and nervously for the statement. 

“To fifteen months of probation. Your services will begin when your injury is healed. Case dismissed.” Then she hit the gavel on the desk. 

Randall and his friends had instant smiles. At least he wouldn’t have to go to jail. 

He was free to be with his family and get a job now, and he would certainly be required to do community services and just watch what he did. But he couldn’t be around weapons or other bad things. 

Seeing his human friends had to be kept secret. But Sullivan would still allow him to. 

They all went to Amanda’s home and Mike and Celia were watching Rex now. School had gotten out early that day. They got the news that Randall was free and he was going to be working with them again, in time. 

With his current injury, he was in no shape to be working. It would be a couple of months before he could do any community service. 

There was no doctor’s note right this second saying he couldn’t work. Jesse couldn’t give the note. Randall would have to see another doctor and get a note saying he couldn’t work any heavy strenuous work for awhile. 

Mike was still reluctant to accept this was all okay. After all that Randall did those few years ago. 

Eventually, Randall saw Mike head off by himself and he followed. He had to get him to understand. 

“Wazowski, wait.” Randall said. 

Mike turned around. “What do you want?” 

“Don’t you remember how we were friends when we were in college?” 

“Yeah, but we are way past those days.” 

“It’s not too late to claim back what we lost, Mike.” Randall said. 

Did Mike hear that right? He said his first name. 

“When my injuries heal, I’m going to need a job. I know I could be a laugher since I’ve learned some few things from living with Travis and his family. You might be able to help me learn some more tips about it when the time comes.” 

“True, but you can’t threaten me anymore if you are trying to make peace with me or try to be my friend.” 

“Agreed. Please, Mike. I’m going to need that job.” 

“We’ll work it out when the time comes.” Mike said and he went to use the restroom. 

Randall turned and went back to the others. It seemed he must have worked something out with Mike, a small truce. But only time would tell if they were really friends again. 

Everyone went home feeling satisfied that today had been a good day.   
……………….

The next day, Randall went to see a Monstropolis doctor again and x-rays were done and it was once again confirmed of a pierced lung and liver. Though Randall was breathing ok, his lung still had some sounding abnormality. 

Randall was given a doctor’s note stating he was in no shape to work for about seven more weeks. He could only do lightweight activities. 

Amanda was happy to have him live with her again. She saw that he and his nephew were getting a good bond growing. 

In the days when Amanda and Fungus were at work and Rex was in school, Randall would relax or he would go out into the neighborhood. At times, he might still get some wary glares and stares from the neighbors, but he would prove to them someday that he wasn’t dangerous. It would be hard to reclaim a life of like how he was when he was younger. 

Even when people were mean to him when he was younger, he always bounced back into the nice, naïve, innocent person that he had been. But it would be so hard to reclaim that. 

Randall just had so much to atone for.


	18. Chapter 18

In his time of healing, Randall also went back to Jesse’s home quite a bit. 

Travis was especially always happy to see him and how he was doing. He even introduced him to his new pet lizard that he got. It was a bearded dragon. 

Rowan was getting to be at the end of the pregnancy now. The new baby could arrive nearly anytime. 

Jesse was glad to see him too. He was still a good veterinarian and big brother, though a lot more like a father now, as he was about to be one. 

Nothing much changed around the farm. Just cleaning and chores, and some adventures in the woods. 

Travis had made some new friends at school, but they would never be the kind of friend that Randall had been for him. 

“Travis, due to the growing threat to me in this world, I’m going to be staying in my own world a lot more now, but I will still come and visit you weekly. And you have your new little friend here. You and your family have done so much for me and I won’t forget it.”

“But what was the verdict?” 

“I was found innocent enough, but I’m on probation too for fifteen months. It’s better than jail time.” 

“I will miss you.” 

“I’ll miss you too. But we both have our lives to lead. I’ll see you soon.” Randall said and he left again. This time, as he was leaving to live a more full life in the monster world again. 

Travis just decided to name his lizard Randall after his friend. He was sure Randall would feel honored at that.   
……………..

In time, the new baby arrived and there were plenty of changes in the house of Jesse and his family. 

Randall still visited and he was introduced to little Joanna Lee Shrubner. She looked more like a Haida baby. She had her mom’s black hair on her head and dark eyes. But Jesse was still proud to be the father. 

Travis was more like a big brother, but he was the uncle. 

Jesse even asked Randall if he wanted to be considered her uncle too. 

Randall felt it was an honor. He was like part of their family too. He also felt honored about when Travis told him he had named his pet lizard after him. 

Even when he visited them, his visits were for no more than a day now. He had a whole new life back in the monster world. But he would always be grateful to these humans for saving his life multiple times and giving him a home while he had been there. And he had done the same for them.   
……………. 

After the few months were up and his injuries healed, Randall began learning how to be a laugher at Monsters, Inc. It wasn’t the same as scaring, but at least he had a job to come to now. 

He took turns from living in with Amanda or Fungus. 

He was friends with Sulley and Mike was learning to accept him again. For Mike was teaching him how to be a true laugher. And with Sulley’s help, Randall also made up with Boo, the little girl he had tried to kidnap those three years ago. 

From his probation, he also did community services on the weekends and some weeknights. 

Randall also had a good relationship with young Rex. He tried to help him out with his blending abilities the best he could, but knew it was hard to control so young. 

At one of his community service times, there was a girl that was eyeing Randall. She had heard of him, and was curious about him. 

When she talked to him, she found his voice very sexy. A lot of things about him she found attractive. 

Soon, they found themselves on a date. The girl was a blue furred lizard like monster herself. She had black hair on her head. She had only two legs, but four arms. She had more of purplish eyes. Her name was Denise. 

Randall thought that no girl would ever be interested in him after all he had done. But this one had the interest in taking a chance with him. He was making great progress then in his reforming. 

Randall would continue to do his probation until it was over and he would keep on visiting his human friends, but he loved his family more, and maybe someday, if he was still with Denise, he might start a family of his own. 

He had come full circle, from all the hard times, to his exile in the human world, learned some new ways and life, and come back to deal with the consequences, and was now on the road to the greatest life possible. 

The End.


End file.
